Zul Akhyar, Banda Aceh – The Ulama Consultative Assembly (MPU) in Indonesia's northern-most province of Aceh has strongly condemned the Miss Beauty Star Indonesia 2024 transgender beauty contest that was held at the Orchardz Industri Hotel Grand Ballroom in Central Jakarta on August 4.

Rumondang Naibaho, Jakarta – A demonstration commemorating International Women's Day (IWD) near the Arjuna Horse Statue in Central Jakarta on March 8 became heated after police prevented protesters from approaching the State Palace.

Mohammad Arief Hidayat and Dani Randi (Banda Aceh) – The chairperson of the Acehnese Regional House of Representatives' (DPR Aceh) Commission V for Health Affairs, M Rizal Falevi, has proposed a draft qanun (bylaw) legalising cannabis for medical use so it can be included in the 2023 priority Regional Legislation Program (Prolegda).

Hardani Triyoga and Dani Randi, Banda Aceh – Banda Aceh Public Order Agency officers (Satpol PP) and the Wilayatul Hisbah (Religious police, WH) have sealed off two beauty salons in Seutui and Lamseupeng which were being used for deviant homosexual practices.

Muhammad Saifullah, Banda Aceh – Scores of workers held a long-march from the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque to the Simpang Lima traffic circle in the Achenese provincial capital of Banda Aceh to commemorate International Labour Day which fell on Saturday May 1.

At the Taman Sari building in the Acehnese provincial capital of Banda Aceh, MU and TA grimaced with pain as two executioners flogged each of them 77 times. The punishment was handed out for the crime of liwath – same sex relations between two men or gay sex.

Banda Aceh – Residents of Kuta Alam in the Acehnese provincial capital of Aceh have caught a gay couple having same-sex relations at a boarding house. The possible existence of a wider gay community is also being investigated.

Raja Umar, Banda Aceh – Pictures of a group of women cyclists wearing tight clothing and no headscarfs riding around the Acehnese provincial capital of Banda Aceh has gone viral on social media.

The photos and videos of the women wearing sexy pink tops invited criticism from netizens.

Aceh – Units from the Aceh Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) and the Wilayatul Hisbah Islamic police (WH) conducted checks on female drivers wearing tight clothing and men wearing short trousers.

The checks netted scores of violators with one of the women wearing a flannel shirt and long trousers.

Banda Aceh – Banda Aceh Mayor Aminullah Usman has banned residents from celebrating Valentine’s Day or the day of love on February 14.

Aceh Besar – The Greater Aceh regency government in Aceh province has again banned people from celebrating Valentine’s Day because it is deemed to conflict with Syariat Islam (Islamic law).

Masriadi, Lhokseumawe – Lhokseumawe Mayor Suaidi Yahyais has asked to all cafe, restaurant, hotel and internet cafe owners in the city to limit working hours for women employees to 11 o’clock at night.

Agus Setyadi, Banda Aceh – Aceh’s religious leaders (ulama) believe that there is no need to build cinemas in Tanah Rencong – as Aceh is known – and that cinemas are not something which have any benefit.

Afif – The North Aceh regency government has banned women and under age children from going out at night or roaming the streets during school hours without being accompanied by a mahram (husband or male family member) or their parents.

Jakarta – The National Commission on Violence Against Women (Komnas Perempuan) says that the Aceh Regional House of Representatives (DPRA) does not need to issue a regional regulation (qanun) on polygamy. Despite the current discourse on polygamy in Aceh the matter is clearly regulated under Law Number 1/1974 on Marriage.

Jakarta – The draft Aceh qanun (bylaw) legalising polygamy has attracted support and opposition. Some believe that the qanun needs to be supported providing that it includes stipulations on the husband behaving fairly towards his wives.

Jakarta – The Acehnese Regional House of Representatives (DPRA) is justifying a plan by the Aceh government to legalise polygamy on the grounds that it will save women and children who have fallen victim to nikah siri (common law marriage recognised by Islam).

Two hundred protesters held an action commemorating May Day 2019 or Labour Day on May 1 which was centred in front of the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque in the provincial capital of Banda Aceh. The action also included a motorcycle convoy around the city.

Agus Setyadi, Banda Aceh – The Brunei Darussalam sultanate has enacted laws ranging from canning to stoning to death for the crime of homosexuality. Prior to enacting the laws, Brunei conducted comparative studies in Aceh to learn about Islamic law.

Budiarti Utami Putri, Jakarta – Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) chairperson Grace Natalie has been reported to the national police headquarters criminal investigation bureau (Bareskrim Mabes Polri) for alleged blasphemy against religion.