Indonesian female executioners

It is difficult to imagine a profession in the world less suitable for a woman than an executioner. However, in Indonesia it is the ladies who carry out court sentences. We are not talking about the death penalty or serious injury, but about public flogging. In the Indonesian state of Aceh, female executioners are a common sight. In some cases, men cannot carry out sentences, so women take on this role.

Aceh is the most conservative state in Indonesia. When tourists get there, they are amazed at how much it differs from other territories of the vast island state. In 2003, after widespread unrest, Aceh gained semi-autonomy. Since then, Jakarta has tried to interfere as little as possible in the affairs of the state.

Sharia law is currently in force in the state. They adopted 442 local laws, some of which are very strict. For example, a woman cannot meet alone with a stranger who is not her relative. If the police catch such a meeting in the park, the violators will be fined. And if it suddenly turns out that a woman had intimate contact with this man, then they also face flogging.

This is why women are hired as executioners in Aceh. Flogging here is not only a common execution, but also a popular spectacle. Just like in the Middle Ages, a whole crowd of onlookers gathers to watch the execution. In addition, the process is widely covered in the local media, as a warning to those who want to violate the laws of Sharia morality.

Female executioners in Aceh wear the jilbab, a thick cape that covers the entire body from head to toe. The audience does not see the expression on the face of a woman who is punishing another woman. Special flexible canes are used as instruments of punishment. A staff of female executioners appeared in Aceh relatively recently, in 2020. The authorities introduced this position due to the increase in crimes against morality among the female population.

So says Muhammad Rizal, who has served as head of the Aceh Sharia Police for many years. In this case, a strict rule applies - the identity of the woman executing the sentence must remain secret. This is due to the fear that the executioners may become objects of revenge from the relatives of the punished.

Only a few police officers know female executioners by name and face. With the advent of anonymous executors, flogging began to be carried out more often than before. This quickly yielded results, and offenses related to violation of Sharia law began to occur much less frequently.

The Sharia police in Aceh say they do not keep statistics on punishments. But according to some estimates, from 400 to 550 women are flogged every year. It turns out that such an execution is not a cheap pleasure. The financial report for 2019 indicates that one flogging costs the authorities 15 million Indonesian rupees (85.7 thousand rubles). This amount includes payment for event security, medical care, food for execution participants and witness services.

But the state authorities are still happy. If in 2018 men and women were caught alone 90 times, then in 2021 there are only 8. Sharia police assure that it’s all about the adulterers’ fear of flogging. Activists disagree with this, considering flogging of women in public to be savage.