In April 2019, news broke that the country of Brunei is going to enforce the death by stoning penalty as a punishment for gay sex. The sultan of Brunei says his country will extend its moratorium on the death penalty to include newly enacted laws punishing homosexual acts and adultery with death by stoning, in an apparent response to weeks of criticism and a high-profile boycott.
Homosexuality has been illegal in the country for years, but the enforcement of the new punishment is another step forward in order to convert Brunei entirely to Sharia law.
The harsh punishments took effect on April 3, the latest in Brunei’s steps to integrate its interpretation of Islamic law into its common laws. But the move triggered widespread condemnation, and celebrities such as George Clooney and Elton John urged a boycott of luxury hotels owned by the country’s investment agency.
However, the sultan has not responded to the criticism and outcry. The Sultan said that the death penalty would not be enforced in the implementation of Sharia penal code order. This rare response to the criticism came right before the holy month of Ramadan and its definitely a step in the right direction.
He said that “Both common law and the Syariah law aim to ensure peace and harmony of the country”.
This kind of response was something that was brought on by outrage and reaction to the law when it was first announced. Many wealthy individuals and companies who choose to abstain from staying in hotels owned by the Sultan.
The United Nations urged the country and its leader to repeal the laws saying that it was a “breach of international human rights norms”.
Brunei began implementing Sharia Law into their penal codes in 2014 and the laws have only gotten more harsh since then. This is a huge victory for human rights and shows the greater influence of the international community. This shows that when the international community comes together for a cause that people and governments will take notice.
For more information about the laws check out this New York Times Article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/world/asia/brunei-gays-stoning-execution.html