Indonesia’s westernmost province at a glance
Aceh’s Sharia court has ordered a 21-lash caning for a couple caught kissing unmarried, with witnesses present as public punishment. The sentences follow a viral TikTok livestream, highlighting Aceh’s unique enforcement of Islamic law within Indonesia and drawing comment from Amnesty International and other observers.
UN agencies say two boats carrying Rohingya passengers departed from Rakhine in late June and may have capsized. One boat lost contact, another is believed to have sunk off the Ayeyarwady coast. Officials warn of a rising death toll as aid groups highlight dire conditions in camps in Bangladesh and displacement inside Myanmar.