Sultan Of Brunei Hands Back Oxford University Honorary Degree Over Gay Sex Death Penalty Backlash
ABC News reports Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah returned his honorary degree awarded by the UK’s Oxford University after a global backlash, headed up by Elton John and George Clooney, after the death penalty for gay sex and adultery became law in Brunei.
A petition calling on Oxford University to take back its honorary law degree had nearly 120,000 signatures. It was circulated after the South-East Asian country introduced laws on April 3 that made acts of sodomy punishable by death.
In response to the petition, Oxford University said it conducted a review and wrote to the Sultan on April 26, “asking for his views” by June 7.
On May 6 the Sultan said via a statement that he would return the degree. Meanwhile, Oxford said it was reviewing its decision to award it in the first place.
