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Two women found guilty of attempting to have lesbian sex in a car were caned six times each as 100 people watched the "cruel and unjust" punishment.

The pair were sentenced to the lashings under strict Islamic laws in Malaysia despite a global outcry from activists who say the sentence "has no place in any civilised society".

Islamic enforcement officers in northern Terengganu state, one of the country's most conservative areas, arrested the women, aged 22 and 32, in April.

They claimed the women, whose names have not been revealed, were attempting to have sex in a car in a public square.

(Image: REX/Shutterstock)

The women pleaded guilty last month to breaking Islamic laws and were sentenced to six lashings each and a fine of 3,300 ringgit (£620).

The public caning was carried out in front of about 100 people at the Sharia High Court in Kuala Terengganu, the state capital of Terengganu.

It began at 10am local time and lasted about 20 minutes, the Malay Mail reported.

Muslim Lawyers Association deputy president Abdul Rahim Sinwan told the newspaper: “Now, basically when you talk about caning in Shariah courts, the fallacy among people outside is that the caning is meant to hurt the person. That’s the fallacy.

“In shariah caning, it is not meant to hurt the person. It is to educate the person. Therefore it’s not painful, it’s not harsh. It’s not meant to hurt the person."

Activists said it was the first time women in Malaysia have been caned for violating a sharia law which bans same-sex relations.

They said it highlights the deteriorating climate for the gay community in the Muslim-majority country.

Malaysia operates a dual-track legal system which allows Islamic courts to handle religious and family matters for Muslim citizens, including adultery cases.

(Image: AFP)

Campaigners have called on Malaysia to end the use of caning and repeal laws that allow it to be used as punishment.

Before the caning, Gwen Lee, Amnesty International’s Malaysia head, slammed the punishment as “cruel and unjust”.

In a statement after the punishment was carried out, the group said: "The public caning of the two women in Malaysia is a dreadful reminder of the depth of discrimination LGBTI people face in the country and a sign that the new government condones the use of inhuman and degrading punishments, much like its predecessor."

In June, Malaysia's new government, led by 93-year-old Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, was sworn in after the same political party had ruled for 61 years.

Eric Paulsen, legal director of Fortify Rights, wrote on Twitter: "Caning and all the more so, public caning has no place in any civilised society. It is incompatible with human dignity and can only add to the humiliation and long-term psychological suffering of those who are subjected to this cruel punishment.

"In the absence of a fair & just criminal justice system and access to competent legal representation, such harsh punishment will disproportionately affect women, the poorer class, and risk the likelihood of wrongful convictions."

Thilaga Sulathireh, of women's rights group Justice for Sisters, told AFP that the caning would “increase the impunity of perpetrators to carry out acts of violence” aimed at gay people.

Justice for Sisters and fellow women's rights group Sisters in Islam said Malaysian law stipulates that caning can only be carried out against prisoners., and the punishment wasn't applicable in this case because the women weren't jailed.

Campaigners said a number of recent incidents and statements have highlighted the deteriorating climate for Malaysia's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

Last month, Islamic Affairs Minister Mujahid Yusof Rawa ordered the removal of two portraits of LGBT activists from a public photo exhibition.

He said that Malaysian society "cannot accept LGBT being promoted because that is against the society norms".

Also last month, a 32-year-old transgender woman was brutally attacked with a weapon in the southern state of Negeri Sembilan.

In its travel advice for Malaysia, the Foreign Office has warned holidaymakers to be aware of local laws and customs.

It said: "Homosexual acts are illegal in Malaysia and punishable under federal law, and in some states, shari’a law.

"You should avoid any behaviour which could attract unwanted attention, including public displays of affection."