Brunei introduced Wednesday the toughest criminal laws in the country despite international outcry to halt the plans to implement it.
The tiny oil-rich country now follows new Islamic Sharia criminal laws amid global criticism from celebrities, politicians and rights groups.
Ruled by the all-powerful Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the country on tropical Borneo island introduces death penalty by stonning to gay sex and adultery. Thieves will face amputation of hands and feet.
With the new criminal laws Brunei becomes the first place in East or Southeast Asia to implement a sharia penal code at national level.
Saudi Arabia and most of the Middle Eastern countries have such strict Islamic Sharia laws under which robbery and rape too are punishable by stonning to death.
Meanwhile, United Nations has labeled the move of Brunei as cruel and inhumane. Elton John, George Clooney and other celebrities too criticized the new criminal laws in the country.
The sultan said, “I want to see Islamic teachings in this country grow stronger.”
The European Union said, “(the new punishments) “amount to torture, acts of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.”
A Bruneian man said new laws were unfair, cruel and should not have been implemented.
