An Indonesian province has passed a law mandating that adulterers be stoned to death and homosexuals given lashes, fines, and prison terms. Those engaging in premarital sex get 100 lashes.

Aceh province's legislative council passed the law on Monday, over the objection of human rights groups and Aceh's own executive body. The law takes effect in 30 days, though observers say it may be reversed or toned down after a new, more moderate council takes up its posts in two weeks.

The tussle highlights the struggle between Indonesia's moderate Muslim majority and a more hard-line minority to define the practice of Islam within Indonesia's sprawling, multicultural democracy.

The Jakarta Post reported that Aceh's executive branch insisted it would not enforce such harsh punishments.

Opposition also came from human rights groups and the Aceh executive body led by Governor Irwandy Yusuf, a former separatist leader. The Aceh administration rejected any form of capital punishment because it was in violation of human rights principles.

"It's final that the Aceh administration would not enforce stoning for Islamic sharia law violators. In Islam, the law must protect its citizens' human rights," Aceh Vice Governor Muhammad Nazar said.

The Times Online noted that increasingly harsh laws have been passed in Aceh since the central government allowed it to adopt Islamic sharia law in 2001, "partly to appease hardliners in the province." Caning punishments were introduced in 2006 for women who do not wear headscarves.

Dozens of public canings have been carried out by the Sharia police since, although it seems to be more a symbolic than physical punishment. Strict regulations controlling the angle and power of the cane stroke protect the women from injury.

But human rights activists point out it would be impossible similarly to protect a woman who was sentenced to be stoned.

"They take pride in not hurting women when they cane them, but stoning is something very different," a human rights worker who asked not to be named told The Times. "You can't say you're not physically harming a woman when you're stoning her to death.

The Associated Press reported the details of the new law, including the punishments for pedophilia and rape.