Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia): Adultery and gay sex in Brunei will be subjected to death by stoning from next week, authorities said, under a strict Sharia law that has been on hold for four years amid heavy criticism.
The tiny sultanate will implement the harsh new penal code -- which also prescribes amputation of a hand and foot for theft -- next Wednesday, according to news agency AFP.
Homosexuality is already illegal in Brunei but it will now become a capital offence. The law only applies to Muslims.
The new penalty for theft is amputation of the right hand for a first offence, and the left foot for a second offence.
A notice on Brunei's Attorney General's Chambers dated December 29 last year said the provisions will take effect on April 3.
Brunei first announced the measures in 2013 but implementation has been delayed as officials worked out the practical details and in the teeth of opposition by rights groups.
However, a spokesman for the Brunei religious affairs ministry Wednesday said only that Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah was expected to make an announcement on April 3 regarding the implementation of the new Sharia laws.
"Only after the event we will know regarding the date of the implementation of the new laws," he told AFP Wednesday.
"In terms of readiness, at the moment we are prepared to enforce the amputation of the hand for stealing only. That is all", he added.
Crime rate is remarkably low in the countries like Saudi Arabia where such laws are already in place. Rights groups criticise strict punishments as defined under the Islamic Sharia law for adultery, gay sex, theft and other crimes but they don't have any idea to control rising crimes.
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