North Aceh bans unmarried couples from motorbike rides

Along the river Kluet, Aceh. Image by Julien Harneis / CC BY-SA 2.0

A district in northern Sumatra has passed legislation banning unmarried men and women from riding together on motorbikes. The latest new Islamic regulation in conservative Aceh, the only Indonesian province to implement Islamic law, is expected to come into effect in May 2016. Gay sex, gambling and drinking alcohol are punishable by caning in Aceh, but it’s not yet known what punishments would be meted out to unmarried couples caught together on a motorbike. Read more: thejakartapost.com