Severe Sharia Law Punishments Now In Force in Brunei

Bangkok: The Sultanate of Brunei on Wednesday brought into force severe punishments under a new penal code based on sharia or Islamic law, including death by stoning or amputation applied to crimes such as theft, sodomy or adultery. The reform of the penal code, which was first officially announced on Saturday by Sultan and Prime Minister Hassanal Bolkiah, does not appear in any of the media of the small Southeast Asian nation, reports Efe news. The new laws include death by stoning for sodomy and adultery, amputation of the hand or foot for theft, and whipping for sexual intimacy between women among others. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said this week that the implementation of these laws “would mark a serious setback for human rights protections for the people of Brunei”. (IANS)

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