Disregard order for deportation, Thailand urged

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A human rights group urged Thailand not to deport a transgender businesswoman to her home country of Malaysia, where she is charged under Islamic laws for insulting Islam by cross-dressing.

Malaysian police are seeking to extradite Nur Sajat, 36, who left the country after she was charged in an Islamic court in January with bringing contempt to Islam by dressing in feminine clothing at a religious event in 2018. Sajat, who runs a cosmetics business, faces up to three years in jail.

Sajat failed to appear for a February court hearing and reportedly received death threats after she mulled renouncing Islam in a video on social media that was removed.

Malaysian police said late Monday that Sajat was detained by Thai authorities Sept 8 for having an invalid passport. She was charged with immigration offenses and released on bail. The statement didn’t say why her passport was canceled. Police said she is wanted in Malaysia on other charges, including obstructing authorities in carrying out their duties.

Phil Robertson, Human Rights Watch deputy Asia director, said the U.N. Refugee Agency has granted Sajat refugee status and that she shouldn’t be sent back under any circumstances.

“She needs to be sent to a country that will offer rights protections, not persecuted for being #LGBT which is what will happen if she is sent to Malaysia,” he tweeted late Monday. Malaysia has a dual-track legal system. Shariah laws govern Muslims, who account for twothirds of Malaysia’s 32 million people, in family, marriage and personal issues. Ethnic Chinese, Indian and other minorities are covered by civil laws.

Rights activists say the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has faced increasing harassment with the rise of conservative Islam.