Overview

• Mohd Affendi Awang, a 42-year-old father of five, was publicly caned at a mosque in Terengganu after being convicted of the Islamic crime of khalwat, or close proximity with a non-relative of the opposite sex.
• The caning, carried out by a prison officer and lasting two minutes, was witnessed by 90 people, including government officials and media, with strict restrictions on recording devices.
• This marks the first public caning under Terengganu’s amended Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 2022, which allows harsher penalties for repeat offenders.
• Human rights groups, including the Malaysian Bar and Sisters in Islam, have condemned the punishment as cruel and degrading, arguing it violates international human rights standards and Malaysia’s federal laws.
• The Islamist-led Terengganu government defended the practice, claiming it serves as a moral deterrent, though critics question its impact on justice and the well-being of the offender’s family.