punishment of death by stoning for both Muslims and religious minorities for crimes including ��adultery”, “sodomy”, rape, blasphemy and murder. TORTURE AND OTHER ILL-TREATMENT The staged implementation of the amended Penal Code, which began in 2014, provides for whipping or amputation for crimes such as robbery and theft. Caning was regularly used as a punishment for offences including those related to immigration. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION A lack of free and independent media continued. In November, The Brunei Times was shut down after it published a politically sensitive article. The act of “printing, disseminating, importing, broadcasting, and distributing publications contrary to Sharia law” constituted a crime for both Muslims and non-Muslims. FREEDOM OF RELIGION Muslims as well as religious minorities continued to face restrictions on their right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. Crimes including blasphemy, insulting the Hadith and any verses of the Qur’an, declaring oneself a prophet or an apostate (for Muslims) were punishable by death under the law. RIGHTS OF LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER AND INTERSEX PEOPLE Consensual same-sex sexual activity was a criminal offence with “intercourse against the order of nature” punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment. The amended Penal Code would make punishment of stoning to death for “sodomy” mandatory. Article 198 cites “Man posing as woman or vice versa” as a crime. In August, a man was arrested for “cross-dressing and improper conduct”. Punishment on conviction included a fine of BN$1,000 (approx. US$730) or three months’ imprisonment, or both. 96 COUNTER-TERROR AND SECURITY Individuals continued to be arrested under the Internal Security Act which allows authorities to detain suspects without trial for indefinitely renewable two-year periods. BULGARIA Republic of Bulgaria Head of State: Rosen Plevneliev Head of Government: Boyko Borisov Bulgaria failed to provide all required services and access to proper procedures for the rising number of migrants and refugees arriving in the country and failed to address the allegations of summary pushbacks and abuse at the border. A climate of xenophobia and intolerance sharply intensified. Roma continued to be at risk of pervasive discrimination. The parliament adopted in first reading a new counter-terrorism law. REFUGEES’ AND MIGRANTS’ RIGHTS In response to Serbia and Hungary increasing their border control measures, the Bulgarian authorities adopted an approach aimed at limiting the number of migrants and refugees entering the country as an alternative route into the EU. Human rights organizations documented frequent allegations of pushbacks, physical abuse and theft by border police. While not openly condoning pushbacks, Prime Minister Borisov conceded that the government had adopted what he termed a “pragmatic approach” to the refugee crisis. He said that over 25,000 people were returned to Turkey and Greece in the period up to August. There was continued impunity for reported abuses at the border. In July, Burgas District Prosecutor’s Office closed criminal proceedings in connection to the October 2015 death of an unarmed Afghan man who was shot by border police. The majority of migrants and refugees continued to be routinely subject to Amnesty International Report 2016/17