Sharia Law: Unmarried woman receives unbelievable punishment for standing too close to a man

Strict Sharia laws result in the public caning of several people

Sharia law is so strict and enforced so well that when people are caught doing anything out-of-line, crowds gather to cheer as the guilty parties are whipped.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Indonesia has fallen to strict Sharia law. One woman, Nur Elita, was punished for standing in "close proximity" to a man she wasn't married to, resulting in five lashes.

The whipping was delivered on a stage before Baiturrahumim Mosque in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. Hundreds gathered to witness Elita's shame after she was suspected to show affectionate behavior toward a fellow university student.

Sharia law does not allow men and women who are not spouses to stand too close to each other, else they are subject to public caning.

Crowds cheered as Elita was brought to the stage. She was forced to kneel as a masked man whipped her with the cane. By the fifth and final lash, Elita was doubled over in pain and lay on the floor. 

She held her shoulder and cried openly as the masked man stood nearby, whip held loosely in his limp hand. 

It is uncertain how much time passed before she was carried from the stage and loaded into an ambulance, which took her straight to a hospital for treatment.

The man she stood too close to was then brought to the stage. He was forced to stand as he accepted his punishment.

Jakarta Post reported that the man, Wahyudi Saputra, was caned for committing khalwat, meaning "affectionate contact by an unmarried couple."

Following his whipping, four men were brought to the stage, each guilty of gambling. The men, Asrul bin M Daud, Khaidir bin Daud, Yoserizal bin Dahyuzar and Mukhlis bin Ramli, were each given five lashes.

Mayor Zainal stood before the crowd to announce the punishments were meant to be a lesson.

"Take these punishments as a lesson. What has been done by these convicts should not be taken as an example. And, I hope their canings in Meuraxa district today will be the last ever," he said.

Zainal then urged the community to hold each other accountable to keep further Sharia violations from occurring.

"And to the public I ask that you do not isolate those who have been convicted here today. And also, those who have been convicted are reminded not to repeat the same mistakes."

---

The California Network is the Next Wave in delivery of information and entertainment on pop culture, social trends, lifestyle, entertainment, news, politics and economics. We are hyper-focused on one audience, YOU, the connected generation. JOIN US AS WE REDEFINE AND REVOLUTIONIZE THE EVER-CHANGING MEDIA LANDSCAPE.