AU Broods Limb Amputation, Stoning to Death Brunei Law Ahead of TPP
The Australian government will raise its concern over Brunei's harsh Sharia Law that involves limb amputation for thieves and stoning to death for adultery and homosexuality before joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Brunei is a nation rich in oil but Australia will still ponder before entering trade negotiations with the Sultanate as its law is being condemned by different countries worldwide, with the United Nations saying the laws were unlawful and atrocious.
"Under international law, stoning people to death constitutes torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and is thus clearly prohibited," Rupert Colville, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said.
The Amnesty International said Brunei is "back to the Dark Ages."
The Sultan of Brunei, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, implemented a penal code based on Sharia law on May 1. The laws shall be imposed over Muslims and non-Muslims.
The first chapter of the law imposes fines and jail terms for pregnancy outside of marriage, failure to pray during Fridays and preaching religious aside from Islam.
The second chapter of the law will impose punishment for alcohol consumption and whipping and amputations for thieving.
The final chapter of the law will impose death by stoning for adultery, sodomy and being disrespectful of the Koran or the Prophet Muhammad.
Australia, Japan and the US are in talks about joining the TPP, with Brunei as one of the four founding members together with Chile, New Zealand and Singapore. If all these countries made it as members of the TPP, the organisation will become the largest free trade agreement in the world.
As for Australia, joining TPP will pave the way for the country to enter regional markets as agreements involved fair labour laws, just intellectual property and tariff cuts on products to be traded.
"Australian officials are seeking clarification on the implementation of this law from the Bruneian government and until such clarification is forthcoming any outcome cannot be speculated upon," a spokesman for Trade Minister Andrew Robb said.
On June 27 a wide world campaign dubbed as #StopTheSultan were conducted at different Brunei embassies in in Washington D.C., Brussels, Belgium; Canberra, Australia; Delhi, India; Manila, the Philippines; and Ottowa, Canada.
Celebrities including Stephen Fry, Anna Wintour and Sir Richard Branson had also condemned the harsh laws being implemented in Brunei.