An Indonesian man who worked for a religious organisation that helped draft the country's adultery laws has been publicly caned for having an affair with a married woman.
Mukhlis bin Muhammad was caned 28 times on Thursday in a public park by a religious officer, an official said.
The 46-year-old is a member of the Aceh Ulema Council (MPU), a clerical organisation which advises a local government on Islamic law.
The woman Mr Muhammad had the sexual relationship with was also flogged in public, receiving 23 lashes.
The punishments took place in ultra-conservative Aceh, the sole province in Indonesia - the world's largest Muslim-majority nation - that applies sharia law. It was granted autonomy in 2001.
Public floggings and canings - which many Acehnese support - have become common there since they were introduced in 2005.
They are administered for a range of offences also including theft and gambling. The province outlawed homosexuality in 2014.
Extra-marital sex, gambling, and the consumption, production and distribution of alcohol are all illegal under Sharia law.
MPU advised the Aceh government in drafting its current version of Sharia. Muhammad's role in the organisation was not disclosed.
Husaini Wahab, a senior official in Aceh Besar district, said canings were meant to serve as a reminder to locals to adhere to the Islamic criminal code.
"It doesn't matter whether he is an ulema, an imam, or an ordinary citizen, the government does not discriminate," he said, adding that Muhammad could no longer belong to the MPU.
Rights groups have called for public floggings and canings to be discontinued.
Papang Hidayat, a researcher with Amnesty International, said they violated human rights. "Showing consensual affection should not be criminalised," he said.
