BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei (1010 WINS) -- New Islamic criminal laws that took effect Wednesday, in the southeast Asian country of Brunei, include death by stoning for gays and those convicted of adultery.
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In addition to death for men who have sex with each other, women who are caught having sex would be punished with 100 lashes. Jail time would be given out for dressing as a person of the opposite gender.
There's been a global outcry in response from everyone from the state department and UN's high commissioner for human rights, as well as George Clooney who has called for a boycott of hotels owned by the government of Brunei. Human Rights Watch has called the new laws 'barbaric' and asked the sultan of Brunei to suspend 'amputation, stoning, and other rights abuses.'
"It's a very aggressive punishment. It's not something that a human should suffer ... just because of being a homosexual," a young gay man from Brunei said.
A transgender woman said she has been living in fear for years.
"Everyone is affected. It's just going to be a horrible life living there, even if you're not LGBT," said Zain.
The new laws would also punish women with 15 years in prison for having an abortion, and pregnancy out of wedlock carries a 2 year sentence.
Brunei adopted Sharia law nationwide in 2013, with a previous punishment of 10 years in prison for homosexuality. Despite calls to abandon the harsh new punishment, Brunei's leaders say they don't plan to budge.
"Brunei Darussalam is a sovereign Islamic and fully independent country and, like all other independent countries, enforces its own rule of law," a statement from the prime minister said.