Tatchell tells Queen: Cut links with gay hating Sultan ‘copying ISIS’
HUMAN-RIGHTS campaigner Peter Tatchell has called on the British Royal Family to sever its links with the Sultan of Brunei because of his nation’s new law making homosexuality punishable by stoning to death.
Speaking at a protest outside the Brunei-owned Dorchester hotel in London yesterday, Mr Tatchell, comparing the new law with those of the Islamic State, said: ‘What is shocking about the Sultan’s actions is that he is copying ISIS tactics of killing people because they are gay. The British Government and Royal Family should cut its ties with him – he should be made a pariah on the international stage.’
Mr Tatchell, television judge Rob Rinder and Labour Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry joined around 200 protesters – some carrying placards reading ‘Butcher of Brunei’ and ‘ LGBT+ Lives Matter’ – at the Dorchester on Park Lane. Mr Rinder said: ‘We have an obligation to stand up and say we don’t agree with what’s going on – some human rights issues are easy – this is one.
‘ It is not just just an issue affecting the gay community, we have to remember these people being stoned are our brothers and sisters – we are talking about the stoning of humans.’
One hotel guest pledged never to stay there again after being confronted by protesters. Instagram blogger Hanan Al Mutawa from Kuwait said: ‘If I had known what the Sultan is doing then I would never have agreed to stay here – it’s appalling.’
Amid a global outpouring of revulsion at the new law, the University of Oxford yesterday said it was reconsidering its decision to give the Sultan an honorary degree. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah was awarded an honorary degree of civil law in 1993.
George Clooney and Elton John have led calls for a boycott of the nine luxury hotels owned worldwide by Brunei after the Sultan announced men who engage in gay sex and those found guilty of adultery in the South East Asian state would be stoned to death. In 2014, Brunei introduced fines or jail for offences such as pregnancy outside marriage or not praying on Friday but held off on more extreme changes after a global outcry.
But this week it unveiled plans to roll out sharia law further with a penal code that imposes death by stoning or whipping for sodomy, adultery or rape and amputation of a hand or foot for theft.
A Foreign and Commonweatlh Office spokesperson said: ‘In discussions with his counterpart earlier this week, the Foreign Secretary expressed his deep concern with Brunei over this appalling decision and was clear that nobody should face persecution or discrimination because of who they are or whom they love.
‘As well as being illegal under international human rights laws, these punishments are cruel, inhumane and degrading.
‘But rather than threatening to kick countries out of the Commonwealth, we believe the best way to make progress and encourage Brunei to uphold its international human rights obligations is via a constructive dialogue on this issue.’
Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
BRITAIN should be prepared to withdraw its 2,000 troops from Brunei in response to its threat to stone gay people to death, according to an MP tipped to become the next Lib Dem leader. Layla Moran urged the UK to ‘reset its relationship’ with the country, including bringing home soldiers stationed there and renaming the ‘Brunei Stables’ at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. A contingent of British troops has been stationed in Brunei since the 1960s.
Last night Ms Moran, the MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said: ‘Any reduction in the size of the UK military commitment to Brunei would send a very powerful message.’