Brunei to adopt Shariah Penal Code which imposes death sentence onto gays
Brunei has postponed introduction of Islamic criminal punishments that were due to begin on Tuesday. On Monday evening, a government official said the delay was due to "unavoidable circumstances". He, however, added that the implementation of the Shariah Penal Code would begin "in the very near future".
According to a senior legal officer at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the authorities will enforce the law gradually and with wisdom so as not to shock and anger the people.
23% of the country's 415,000 citizens are not Muslim. Out of those 23%, 10% are Christian.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, 67, announced the introduction of Shariah law last year, assuring the new code would not significantly change his country's policies.
According to the Islamic laws, offenses such as rape, adultery, sodomy, murder, extramarital sexual relations (for Muslims), insulting Quran, blasphemy, declaring oneself a prophet or non-Muslim are punishable by stoning to death.
Most recently, similar anti-gay laws were adopted by Uganda and Nigeria, where engaging in same-sex acts is punishable from 14 years in jail or to life imprisonment.
The United Nations have already criticized Brunei's decision as it "does not meet international human rights standards."
Source: Legit.ng
