Brunei’s sultan returns Oxford degree after gay sex death penalty backlash


LONDON (Reuters): Brunei’s Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has returned an honorary degree awarded by Britain’s Oxford University after a global backlash led by celebrities including George Clooney and Elton John for proposing the death penalty for gay sex and adultery.

Nearly 120,000 people had signed a petition by April calling on Oxford University to rescind the honorary law degree awarded in 1993 to the sultan, the world’s second-longest reigning monarch and prime minister of the oil-rich country.

The Star Christmas Special Promo: Save 35% OFF Yearly. T&C applies.

Monthly Plan

RM 13.90/month

Best Value

Annual Plan

RM 12.33/month

RM 8.02/month

Billed as RM 96.20 for the 1st year, RM 148 thereafter.

Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!

Next In Regional

China's smaller manufacturers look to catch the automation wave
China public servants use face masks to bypass facial recognition to help each other skip work
Taiwan RedNote ban backfires, driving mainland Chinese app’s top download rise
Chinese smart glasses firms eye overseas conquest
India says mandatory phone app can be deleted after backlash
120,000 home cameras were hacked for sexual videos, South Korean police say
Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Monday (Dec 01, 2025)
Hong Kong govt pledges free housing for Tai Po victims until homes are rebuilt
Hong Kong leader John Lee pays tribute to firefighter killed in Tai Po blaze
Beer giant Asahi not engaging with hackers after cyberattack

Others Also Read