Christmas has been banned in Brunei.Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world’s richest men, announced last year that he would introduce Sharia law in his oil-rich sultanate.Although Christians are free to celebrate, they have been told not to do so “excessively and openly” in the South-East Asian nation which sits on a corner of the island of Borneo.
Businesses, including hotels, have been warned not to put decorations up. Spot checks are being carried out.The ban is set to be rigidly enforced due to concerns that the prominent religious symbols are against the Islamic faith.
The government warned last year that Muslims would be committing an offence if they even wore “hats and clothes that resemble Santa Claus.”Those who contravene the Sharia ruling risk a five-year jail sentence.The campaign group Human Rights Watch has described the ban as “a flagrant violation of the freedom of worship.”
Businesses, including hotels, have been warned not to put decorations up. Spot checks are being carried out.The ban is set to be rigidly enforced due to concerns that the prominent religious symbols are against the Islamic faith.
The government warned last year that Muslims would be committing an offence if they even wore “hats and clothes that resemble Santa Claus.”Those who contravene the Sharia ruling risk a five-year jail sentence.The campaign group Human Rights Watch has described the ban as “a flagrant violation of the freedom of worship.”
