Life

Brunei adverts to be removed from TfL network over anti-LGBTQ law

By Daniel Megarry

3rd April 2019

Transport for London have confirmed they will remove adverts promoting Brunei.

The small south-east Asian nation have implemented a strict new law that will see LGBTQ people killed for same-sex relations. The law is part of the Sharia Penal Code (SPC) and makes sex between men an offence punishable by stoning to death.

Following immediate widespread condemnation from the international community, including boycotts from major public figures like George Clooney and Ellen, several people have called on Transport for London (TfL) to drop adverts for Brunei.

London assembly member Tom Copley wrote a letter to London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who’s also Chair of TfL, asking that the network no longer accept adverts from Royal Brunei Airlines, which is owned by the Brunei government.

The adverts describe Brunei as an “abode of peace”.

“I have been contacted by a number of constituents regarding adverts for Royal Brunei Airlines on the TfL estate,” Copley wrote in the letter.

“As you know, Brunei has recently passed a law punishing gay sex with death by stoning. Royal Brunei Airlines is wholly owned by the government of Brunei, therefore I believe this advert contravenes TfL’s advertising policy.”

Just hours later, Copley tweeted that he’d received a reply from TfL confirming that adverts from Royal Brunei Airlines will be removed, and that future campaign proposals will take recent law changes into account.

“The advertisement was considered compliant with our advertising policy when it was submitted and accepted,” TfL wrote.

“However, reviewing it against our policy now, it is clear that this is an issue of great public sensitivity and controversy so the advert will be removed from our network.

“Any proposed future campaign would be reviewed against our advertising policy, and information that has recently come to light would be considered in any decision.”