KUALA TERENGGANU: The two women who were caned publicly at the Terengganu Syariah High Court did not appeal at all against the decision despite being given various opportunities to do so.
Syariah Implementation and Higher Education Chairman Satiful Bahari Mamat said the public should not blame the court entirely for meting out the sentence as both women pleaded guilty to the offence.
"The two women were given 14 days to appeal after they were handed out the sentence on 18 August
. They did not even appeal even when the court was adjourned due to technical reasons.
"Thus the sentencing went ahead as provided by the law on August 28 and in line with syariah requirements which is to educate the offenders and the public," he told NSTP here today.
The two Muslim women had pleaded guilty to charges under Islamic laws forbidding lesbian sex and were caned on Monday in front of dozens of people at the court.
The women attempted lesbian sex in a car in April and their sentence had sparked outrage and raised fears about the treatment of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in the country.