Starting April, Brunei Will Stone People Involved in Same-sex Activities to Death

This will be starting April 3.

Being stoned to death

Source: Mic

Starting next week, people who are involved in gay sex and adultery will be stoned to death, according to Bruneian laws.

Homosexuality, which is already illegal in Brunei, will soon be deemed a capital offence. The Daily Mail reports that the oil-rich nation previously practised a punishment of up to 10 years imprisonment for being involved in homosexual activities. However, starting April 2019, LGBT people convicted of this offence will be stoned to death.

Do note that this is placed under Sharia law, which is only applicable to Muslims.

Speaking to WORLD OF BUZZ, Matthew Woolfe who is the founder of human rights group The Brunei Project confirms that this law will be implemented by the start of April.

“An independent lawyer with whom I am in contact with in Brunei also confirmed that the Gazette with this announcement was sent to all law firms in Brunei in January.”

The law can be found gazetted under the Syariah Penal Code 2013 here.

Of course, when news broke out about the passing of this new law, people from all over the world voiced their concerns. According to SCMP, this law was actually announced back in 2013 but its implementation was delayed as officials wanted to work out the practical details, plus that law was facing very heavy criticism internationally.

This isn’t the only controversial law that will soon be implemented, though.

Thieves to have their limbs cut off

Anyone who is caught for robbery will have their right hand amputated for a first offence, and the left foot for a second offence.

These new penalties also apply to children, and they come into effect April 3 this year.

Source: time magazine | sultan of brunei

Matthew Woolfe, founder of human rights group The Brunei Project said that the legal changes were announced in a discreet notice via the attorney general’s website.

Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Brunei researcher at Amnesty International, said some of the potential offences “should not even be deemed crimes at all, including consensual sex between adults of the same gender”.

“To legalise such cruel and inhuman penalties is appalling of itself,” she adds.

Also read: Najib Razak Was Cropped Out Of APEC Meeting Picture By Bruneian Paper