The Alor Setar High Court in Kedah spared 27 Rohingya Muslim refugees from Myanmar from caning, their lawyer said, setting aside a lower court's sentence following an outcry from human rights activists.

The Rohingya men were among 40 refugees convicted last month by a magistrates court in Langkawi for entering Malaysia by boat without a valid permit. All 40 were also sentenced to seven months' jail...