As a close friend of Brunei we have raised our concerns on the implementation of a Sharia penal code in Brunei directly with them and will continue those discussions bilaterally. We have not raised the issue with the Association of South East Asian Nations. I discussed the Sharia code with His Majesty The Sultan, as well as the Crown Prince, Foreign Minister, the Grand Mufti and other senior ministers during my recent visit to Brunei on 19 April, and more recently with Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Pehin Lim, on 9 July. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon ( Mr Swire), also raised the issue in his meeting with Brunei's High Commissioner to London on 14 July. We urge the authorities in Brunei to consider the impact of the new code very carefully, and specifically ensure implementation is in line with international human rights norms and Brunei\u2019s international obligations. The UK is opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances and in all countries.<\/p>
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