March 28, 2024 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

LGBTQ+ Rights Activists and Supporters Appalled by Caning of Two Malaysian Women on Monday

Amnesty International described the Monday public caning of two women convicted of attempting lesbian sex in a car as “an appalling day” for human rights in Malaysia.

The LGBTQ+ community is routinely persecuted in Malaysia, where Islam is the majorities religion, because they are seen as a threat to conservative values.

The two women had pleaded guilty last month to attempting lesbian sex, forbidden under Islamic law. They were sentenced to a fine and six lashings of the cane, as reported by the Huffington Post.

Satiful Bahri Mamat, a member of the Terengganu state executive council, defended the punishment, stating that the caning had not been intended to “torture or injure” and had been carried out in public to “serve as a lesson to society,” as reported by BBC.

The sentence was carried out  at the Sharia High Court in Terengganu in front of about 100 people. The caning of women is banned under civil law, but allowed under Islamic laws in some states. Terengganu is a conservative state ruled by the Islamist opposition party Pan-Malaysian Islamist Party (PAS), according to a report by English-language daily the New Straits Times.

“To inflict this brutal punishment on two people for attempting to engage in consensual, same-sex relations is an atrocious setback on the government’s efforts to improve its human rights records,” Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Amnesty International’s Malaysia researcher, said.

The case comes amid concerns around growing intolerance toward the LGBTQ+ community in Malaysia in recent weeks.

A transgender woman was beaten up by a group of assailants in Seremban, south of Kuala Lumpur on Aug. 15, in what activists said was part of a growing hostility towards gay and transgender people, as reported by the Huffington Post.

Related Posts

Cantonese Dim Sum Master Chef Tony Opens Hollywood Dim Sum at TCL Chinese Theatre

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Experience Exquisite Dim Sum Creations in the Heart of Hollywood 97 years after its founding, the TCL Chinese Theatre will...

Fleurs et Sel Bakery Opens Storefront in West Adams, Welcomes Customers Three Days a Week

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Indulge in Freshly Baked Cookies at the New West Adams Location Fleurs et Sel Bakery, known for its delectable cookies...

Easter Specials Guide: Brunch Spots, Desserts, and More in West Los Angeles

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Discover the Best Easter Eats and Treats in LA for Your Holiday Celebration Easter is almost here, so here are...

(Video) Director Adam Wingard Talks About His Influences While Making GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

Director Adam Wingard Talks About His Influences While Making GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE at the Beyond Fest Screening...

Judy Garland’s Teenage Bel-Air Estate Hits Market for $11.495 Million

March 27, 2024

March 27, 2024

“Wizard of Oz” Star’s Former Home Offers Piece of Hollywood History A Bel-Air estate commissioned by Judy Garland during her...

Attorney for Sean “Diddy” Combs Denounces Investigation as “Witch Hunt”

March 26, 2024

March 26, 2024

Legal Representative Criticizes Probe Amid Federal Sex Trafficking Inquiry An attorney representing Sean “Diddy” Combs criticized the investigation into the...

Historic Union Contract Ratified by Thousands of Hotel Workers At 34 Hotels

March 26, 2024

March 26, 2024

UNITE HERE Local 11 Negotiates Agreement Ensuring Wage Increases  Hotel workers, who spearheaded the largest hotel strike in modern U.S....

Human Rights Campaign’s Los Angeles Dinner Celebrates LGBTQ+ Advocacy and Unity

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

Notable Figures Gathered to Champion LGBTQ+ Rights and Combat Discrimination By Aneesha Pappy  The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation’s...

California Bars and Nightclubs Must Offer Drug Testing Devices Starting July 1

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

New Law Mandates License Holders to Provide Drug Testing Kits to Patrons Beginning July 1, establishments with Type 48 licenses...

Opinion: West Los Angeles Needs to Care about Veteran Homelessness

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

By Kelly Kravchuk  Veteran homelessness is a public health concern that impacts my West Los Angeles community. As a USC...

Federal Agents Raid Property Linked to Music Mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs In Holmby Hills

March 25, 2024

March 25, 2024

Authorities Conduct Searches in Los Angeles as Part of Ongoing Sex Trafficking Probe Federal agents from the Department of Homeland...

Biden Signs Government Funding Bill with Ban on Pride Flags at Embassies

March 24, 2024

March 24, 2024

White House Vows Repeal Amid Controversy Over LGBTQ Provision President Biden signed a huge government funding package on Saturday, which...

City of Los Angeles Pays Nearly Half a Billion in Liability Claims Over Four Years

March 24, 2024

March 24, 2024

LA Controller’s Report Reveals Significant Payouts from General Fund LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia has continued to audit the City...

Infamous Beverly Hills Mansion Where Menéndez Brothers Committed Murders Sells for $17 Million

March 24, 2024

March 24, 2024

Notorious Property Closes Deal Exactly 28 Years After Conviction A mansion in Beverly Hills, California, notorious for being the site...

Former Beverly Hills Therapist Indicted for Alleged Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

March 24, 2024

March 24, 2024

Suspect Faces Federal Charges Following Investigation into Online Activity A former licensed marriage and family therapist based in Beverly Hills...