Sharia law to punish social media users

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian government taskforce has proposed amendments to sharia law that would allow action to be taken against social media users for insulting Islam and “promoting the LGBT lifestyle”.

Sodomy and same-sex acts are illegal under Islamic law in Muslim-majority Malaysia, although convictions are rare. The amendments to sharia criminal laws were proposed in response to social media posts celebrating the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender as part of Pride Month in June, Deputy Minister in charge of religious affairs Ahmad Marzuk Shaary said.

“We have found that certain parties uploaded statuses and graphics that insulted Islam on social media in their efforts to promote the LGBT lifestyle,” he said.