Brunei Halts Punishment for Gay Sex

TEMPO.CO, Bandar Seri Begawan- Brunei Darussalam has postponed the enactment of a new sharia law prohibiting gay sex, which include death penalty by stoning. In a televised speech on Sunday, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said he would extend the moratorium on the death penalty and ratify the United Nation's convention against torture, which the country signed several years ago.

According to the Sultan, there are several misperception about the sharia law's implementation, which he believes may have caused concerns.

Read: Brunei Defends Tough New Islamic Laws Against Growing Backlash

"As evident for more than two decades, we have practiced a de facto moratorium on the execution of death penalty for cases under the common law," he said. "This is also applied to cases under Sharia Laws."

Brunei, a small, oil-rich nation, becomes the first East Asian country to enact sharia law gradually in 2014. The first phase of the law include crimes punishable by jail terms and fines, while the next section include harsh and controversial punishments like stoning and amputation. 

These latter terms sparked criticism global-wide, with famous celebrities like George Clooney and Elton John calling to boycott hotels belonging to Brunei. 

CNN | BBC | SUKMA LOPPIES