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Malaysia lesbians caned for attempting to have sex
The Muslim women, aged 22 and 32, were each caned six times in the Sharia High Court in the state of Terengganu.
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The 2 women were caned in a religious court.
This is said to be the state's first conviction for same-sex relations and its first public caning.
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According to a local news outlet the caning was witnessed by more than 100 people.
A member of the Terengganu state executive council, Satiful Bahri Mamat, said they did not intend to "torture or injure" the 2 women. He said they punished them in public to "serve as a lesson to society".
But The Star explained that caning under Islamic law is not similar to caning carried out for crimes under civil law. It is not meant to cause pain.
Meanwhile, Malaysian rights group Women's Aid Organisation told Reuters news agency it was "appalled by this grave violation of human rights".
"Sexual acts between two consenting adults should not be criminalised, let alone punished with whipping," Women's Aid Organisation said.
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The 2 women 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 RM3,300 ($800, £619).
Malaysia operates a dual-track legal system. Muslims are bound by Sharia - or Islamic - law on personal matters like marriage and custody rights, while members of other faiths follow civil law.
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