WAS Open Letter: Brunei Must Respect the Human Rights of Sexual Minorities

OPEN LETTER

[Cape Town, South Africa] – The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) strongly condemns the enactment of Brunei’s new sharia-based penal code, which imposes degrading and inhumane punishment — such as death by stoning — for consensual same-sex sexual activity. These penalties flagrantly violate international human rights standards and undermine the dignity, safety, and freedoms of sexual minorities. In an open letter to the Sultan of Brunei, WAS joins the global human rights community in urging the immediate repeal of this brutal legislation.

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25 May 2014

Brunei violates the sexual rights of its citizens with the sharia-based penal code

Open letter to Sultan of Brunei

The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS), along with many other international organizations concerned with human rights and human dignity are deeply alarmed with the promulgation of a new penal code in the Sultanate of Brunei that calls for punishments that are degrading and equivalent to humiliation and torture.

Moreover, the debasing and extremely cruel penalties, which include death by stoning, are intended for sexual practices between persons of the same sex, even if they are consensual and occur in private spaces. This new penal code clearly goes against the Convention of Human Rights, the WAS Declaration of Sexual Rights, and other international conventions that protect the rights to essential freedoms and to intimacy.

If this code is enacted the Sultanate of Brunei will be imposing a brutal legislation on its citizens, who aspire to and deserve the same freedoms and liberties enjoyed by citizens in other countries.

WAS strongly protests against this legislation and any laws prohibiting same-sex sexual acts as they are unquestionably discriminatory in nature and deny a large group of people their basic human right to free expression. Furthermore, prohibition of any kind of consensual sexual acts conflicts with basic human rights. The punishment of death by stoning is particularly objectionable, and any form of this law should be rescinded.

Please immediately take action to change this law in order to protect an important freedom and demonstrate to your citizens and to the international community your commitment to tolerance and human rights.

Kevan Wylie

President World Association for Sexual Health

Yuko Higashi

Co-Chair, Sexual Rights Committee World Association for Sexual Health

Tommi Paalanen

Co-Chair, Sexual Rights Committee World Association for Sexual Health

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About WAS

WAS is an international organization, with more than one hundred member organizations across the globe, that promotes and advocates for sexual health and sexual rights throughout the lifespan and across the world by advancing sexuality research, comprehensive sexuality education, and clinical care and services for everyone.

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