The Sultan of Brunei is to introduce a new code of sharia law which could see stonings introduced for adultery, amputations for thefts and public flogging for drinking alcohol.
Hassanal Bolkiah, who is one of the world's richest men and who has close links to Britain, announced the new legislation yesterday as part of a shift in his kingdom towards a more conservative brand of Islam.
.... "I think any university that has granted an honorary law degree to the Sultan should be thinking again as to whether they want to be associated with him," said Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch.
"It's a huge step backwards, a demonstration of the more feudal aspects of Brunei that harks back to the 18th century model of absolute monarchy, and it gives a licence for human abuses to be made law." [telegraph.co.uk] Read more
