Faisal made the comment in respond to Amnesty International`s recent report suggesting Indonesian government to stop canning bylaws implementation in Aceh because it constitute cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and often amount to torture.
On its report, the international organization said victims of caning experience pain, fear and humiliation, and caning can cause long-term or permanent injuries.
"The report is overrated. No one gets permanent injury due to the canning punishment. I ask Amnesty International or other organizations not to intervene the syaria law implementation in Aceh. We have the rights to determine which law we will obey," he said.
Faisal added the canning punishment was meant to give a wary effect towards the violators.
Aceh`s provincial legislature passed a series of bylaws governing the implementation of Sharia law after the enactment of the province`s Special Autonomy Law in 2001.
Caning was introduced as a punishment carried out by Islamic courts for offenses also including adultery, consumption of alcohol, unmarried adult couples who are alone in isolation (khalwat) and for any Muslim found eating, drinking or selling food during sunlight hours in the fasting month of Ramadan.
According to Amnesty International caning punishment violates the UN Convention against Torture, which Indonesia ratified in 1998.
The organization calls on the Indonesian central government to review all such bylaws and local regulations to ensure that they conform with international and Indonesian human rights law and standards.
(T.A042/A051/H-NG/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
