Indonesian Muslims sign up for tattoo removal 'to repent' during Ramadhan

A person applies a numbing cream on a man before his tattoo is removed with a laser during the event held by BAZNAS which provides a free tattoo removal program during the holy month of Ramadan at the Central Jakarta Mayor's Office in Jakarta, Indonesia. - Reuters

JAKARTA (Reuters): Bima Abdul Sholeh, 32, sat calmly as a doctor armed with a laser pointer zapped tattoos from his face at an event in Jakarta being held by a charity organisation during the holy month of Ramadhan to give practicing Muslims an opportunity to "repent".

Like him, more than a hundred Indonesians have signed up for tattoo removal procedures being conducted free of charge by the Amil Zakat National Agency, an Islamic charity organisation, during Ramadan which this year falls in early March to April.