Anti-Maskers Made to Dig Graves for COVID-19 Victims in Indonesia

If this isn't the most effective wake-up call, we don't know what is: Those who don't wear a face mask in Indonesia are being forced to dig graves. 

Local authorities have made at least eight people who have refused to wear face masks during the pandemic dig graves for those who died from COVID-19 in the province of East Java, according to Jakarta Post.

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This unique punishment was created for anti-maskers and people who don't follow the health and safety measures currently imposed throughout Indonesia.

"There are only three available gravediggers at the moment, so I thought I might as well put these people to work with them," local politician Suyono told Tribun News. "Hopefully this can create a deterrent effect against violations."

Of course, those who are being punished don't handle the dead bodies. Instead, they dig the graves and prepare the plots with wooden planks to make sure the caskets are supported. 

Indonesia's battle against COVID-19

This isn't the only unusual punishment put out by authorities in Indonesia, however. Forcing those who don't abide by the rules to lie down in a coffin and count to 100, taking them to cemeteries late at night and forcing them to pray for COVID-19 victims, and putting them in the back of ambulances with some coffins are only some of them. Moreover, the country has displayed a dummy coffin as a COVID-19 warning amid the pandemic too.

Indonesia has identified over 222,000 cases and 8,841 deaths from COVID-19 so far. On Monday, 3,141 new cases were recorded with 118 new deaths.

Back in April, Indonesia had issued a law requiring masks to be worn; however, the country had to take another approach while strengthening the laws since there was a spike in cases in East Java in July.

A survey showed that 70% of the region's people didn't wear a mask, which was probably the reason why the country decided to apt for such punishments.