Thailand urged not to deport transgender charged in Malaysia

Malaysian police seek to extradite Nur Sajat who left the country after she was charged for bringing contempt to Islam by dressing in feminine clothing at a religious event.

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 for 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 for the offence.

Nur 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 has now been removed.