An Indonesian man, who helped draft strict religious laws ordering adulterers to be flogged, was himself publicly whipped after he was caught having an affair with a married woman, Agence France-Presse reported.

The flogging took place on Thursday, Oct. 31 in the deeply conservative Aceh region on Sumatra island.

The man, Mukhlis, who goes by one name like many other Indonesians, could be seen flinching during the punishment in the provincial capital Banda Aceh -- the only region in the world's biggest Muslim-majority nation of Indonesia, which imposes Islamic law.

Flogging is a common punishment for offences such as adultery, drinking alcohol, and having gay or pre-marital sex.

A masked religious officer carried out 28 lashes on the back of Aceh Ulema Council (MPU) member Mukhlis.

He was caught canoodling with a married woman in September.

His married companion was flogged with a rattan cane some 23 times.

Irony

Mukhlis works for organisation that advised the local government and legislature on drafting and implementing Aceh's religious law, including public flogging.

He would likely be sacked under his employer's moral code, Aceh Besar deputy regent Husaini Wahab said.

Flogging a council member underlined the commitment to enforcing Islamic law, Husaini said.

"No matter who you are... if you violate (Islamic) law you will be whipped," he told reporters after the punishment.

Dozens of onlookers watched the floggings.

Some recording them on their mobile phones.

"I was just curious to see how it was carried out," said one spectator.

Flogging a way of life

A 2005 autonomy deal with the central government that ended a decades-long separatist insurgency allowed the practice of flogging to be continued.

Rights groups have slammed public caning as a cruel and inhuman punishment.

Even Indonesia's President Joko Widodo has called for it to end.

But the practice has support among Aceh's mostly Muslim population.

A female university student was also flogged a dozen times on Thursday after she was caught spending the night in a boarding house with a man, who escaped punishment because he was underage.

Strict laws

The council has raised some eyebrow with its announcements in the past.

Just this year, it hit out at plans to form a national women's football league.

The reason for its disapproval was because Aceh did not have a special stadium where only women players, match officials and spectators would be present.

In June, it issued a fatwa, or religious edict, against online game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG).

The council said it insulted Islam and made addicted players violent.

History of flogging

In July, three people were flogged 100 times each for having premarital sex.

In 2018 two men caught having sex with underaged girls were also whipped 100 times.

Top photo via suara.com