Activists worldwide have spent the past few weeks tirelessly protesting new laws in Brunei, which make sodomy and adultery punishable by death.

Still, it seems people aren’t happy with the current wave of protest.

Twitter users have specifically criticised calls to boycott the ten Dorchester Collection hotels owned by the sultan, writing sarcastic jokes highlighting that it’s an option available only to the mega-rich.

LGBT+ rights around the globe Show all 9 1 /9 LGBT+ rights around the globe LGBT+ rights around the globe Russia Russia’s antipathy towards homosexuality has been well established following the efforts of human rights campaigners. However, while it is legal to be homosexual, LGBT couples are offered no protections from discrimination. They are also actively discriminated against by a 2013 law criminalising LGBT “propaganda” allowing the arrest of numerous Russian LGBT activists. AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Brunei Brunei recently introduced a law to make sodomy punishable by stoning to death. It was already illegal and punishable by up to 10 years in prison AFP/Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Mauritania Men who are found having sex with other men face stoning, while lesbians can be imprisoned, under Sharia law. However, the state has reportedly not executed anyone for this ‘crime’ since 1987 Alamy LGBT+ rights around the globe Sudan Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Sudanese law. Men can be executed on their third offence, women on their fourth Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Saudi Arabia Homosexuality and gender realignment is illegal and punishable by death, imprisonment, whipping and chemical castration Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Yemen The official position within the country is that there are no gays. LGBT inviduals, if discovered by the government, are likely to face intense pressure. Punishments range from flogging to the death penalty Getty LGBT+ rights around the globe Nigeria Both male and female same-sex sexual activity is illegal and in some northern states punishable with death by stoning. This is not a policy enacted across the entire country, although there is a prevalent anti-LGBT agenda pushed by the government. In 2007 a Pew survey established that 97% of the population felt that homosexuality should not be accepted. It is punishable by 14 years in prison Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Somalia Homosexuality was established as a crime in 1888 and under new Somali Penal Code established in 1973 homosexual sex can be punishable by three years in prison. A person can be put to death for being a homosexual Reuters LGBT+ rights around the globe Iraq Although same-sex relationships have been decriminalised, much of the population still suffer from intense discrimination. Additionally, in some of the country over-run by the extremist organisation Isis, LGBT individuals can face death by stoning Getty

Other commentators have argued that innocent staff members risk being caught in the crossfire and punished if business quietens down. These arguments both hold weight, but they also beg the question: what can we do?

It’s easy to make jokes online, but these tweets rarely progress from critique to constructive criticism. Instead, they insinuate that the efforts being invested into global organisation right now are being wasted.

This is far from the truth. The sultan of Brunei first announced a three-stage plan to implement sharia law back in 2013, and he quickly rolled out the first stage without too much of a delay. But then international pressure began to mount.

NGOs lobbied against the torturous, barbaric laws, and they were quickly followed by activists and celebrities. A deadline to roll out the second and third stages of the law slowly fell further and further behind, and for a while it seemed the legislation would be intercepted for good.

But as the years passed, this anti-Brunei activism slowly began to lose its momentum. Fresher, more newsworthy human rights violations began to take priority, as did the imminent threat of a Trump presidency. It was only when the world turned its back that the sultan delivered on his promise to usher in the draconian laws.

We’ve seen this pattern of media outrage followed swiftly by silence in the past. Reports of LGBT+ people being tortured in Chechnya, which were largely filled with tales of graphic violence recounted by anonymous activists, dominated international headlines in 2017.

Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov became the subject of international scrutiny, although he clearly didn’t care – he spent the weeks following the revelations describing queer people as "devils" in televised interviews and even insinuating that he would turn a blind eye to honour killings.

Despite these glaring red flags, interest in the allegations soon died down.

Initially, the lack of identified victims made the pursuit of justice seem futile. It wasn’t until months later that Maxim Lapunov came forward to recount his torture, and by this point press interest had waned significantly.

Reports indicate that his trial was stalled and then botched, but they were largely ignored. This lack of interest arguably enabled yet another wave of alleged torture, reported earlier this year. A full investigation still hasn’t been ordered.

If anything, we should see Chechnya as a cautionary tale. We can’t let the legalisation of torture in Brunei fall out of the public eye, especially as the current combination of activism and media scrutiny seems to be actually working.

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MPs have called for the country to be punished with harsh sanctions including expulsion from the Commonwealth; elsewhere, companies like TfL and Virgin Australia have pulled tourism advertisements in a bid to stall the country’s economy, and there have even been calls for the sultan to be stripped of his honours.

Individually, these small acts of protest might not be able to achieve much. It’s naive to think that boycotting £5000-per-night hotels can make genuine change, but that’s arguably not what activists are thinking – instead, they likely see it as one part of a much wider strategic puzzle.

This strategic thinking is crucial, especially in a digital age which encourages reactionary, knee-jerk activism.

It’s obvious that there is no easy way to convince one of the world’s most powerful leaders – one who has authoritarian rule over a tiny, oil-rich kingdom – to reconsider the law, but what we shouldn’t be doing is criticising the people who are at least trying.