Amnesty calls on Malaysia to quash lesbian couple's caning sentence

Amnesty International on Wednesday urged Malaysia to quash the caning sentence handed to a Muslim lesbian couple for trying to have sex. The unidentified women, aged 22 and 23, pleaded guilty in a Sharia court in the north-eastern state of Terengganu earlier this month and were fined and sentenced to six strokes of a cane.

The caning, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed to 3 September due to technical reasons.  

"We are pleased that the cruel and unjust punishment that was handed down to these two women did not take place as scheduled," Gwen Lee, Amnesty International Malaysia's Interim Executive Director said in a statement. "However, a delay is obviously not enough – both women must now have their sentences quashed immediately and unconditionally to reverse this injustice once and for all," the statement added.  

The statement also highlighted "growing concern around the climate of fear and discrimination against LGBT people in Malaysia," following the court's decision.

The rights group urged Malaysia's government to "end the use of caning and repeal the laws that impose these torturous punishments completely."

Muslims make up approximately 60 percent of Malaysia's population of 31 million.    (dpa)