Two Malaysian women convicted of attempting to have lesbian sex in a car have been caned in a religious court.
The Muslim women, aged 22 and 32, were each caned six times in the Sharia High Court in the state of Terengganu.
According to an official, this is the state’s first conviction for same-sex relations and its first public caning. Human rights activists reacted with outrage. Homosexual activity is illegal under both secular and religious laws.
The caning was witnessed by more than 100 people, according to local news outlet The Star. Malaysian rights group Women’s Aid Organisation told Reuters news agency it was “appalled by this grave violation of human rights”.
The duo, whose identities have not been revealed, were arrested in April by Islamic enforcement officers after they were found in a car in a public square in Terengganu.
They had last month pleaded guilty to breaking Islamic laws and were sentenced to be caned and fined $800.
