Dec. 16
BELARUS:
INTERVIEW: "Confused" Europe must do more on Belarus, watchdog says
Europe has not done enough to discourage the crackdown on political opponents
that has unfolded in Belarus over the last year, the secretary general of the
continent‘s human rights watchdog said Wednesday.
"There has been a clear lack of a coordinated strategy from Europe‘s side,"
Thorbjorn Jagland told dpa in an exclusive interview at the Council of Europe
headquarters in Strasbourg, France. "Europe is confused on what to do, what one
can do."
He predicted that Belarus would pose one of the greatest human rights challenge
for Europe in 2012.
Its authoritarian president, Aleksander Lukashenko, clamped down on the
opposition after massive anti-government demonstrations that followed December
2010 elections, widely regarded as having fraudulently led to the strongman‘s
re-election.
The European Union has since imposed several rounds of sanctions on his regime,
but with little effect so far. Belarus did not hesitate to walk out of an EU
Eastern Partnership summit in September after being chided over its human
rights violations.
Even a crippling currency crisis that has pushed the country to the verge of
bankruptcy has not swayed Lukashenko from ignoring EU calls to stop the
repression in return for aid.
"It‘s a quite appalling thing to see that we still have this brutal
dictatorship in the midst of the continent," Jagland said. "We need to have a
more coordinated approach to Belarus which also probably will have to include
Russia ... It‘s not that simple that we can try to, so to say, get Belarus to
join the West."
The Eastern European country is not among the council‘s 47 member states, but
has applied to join the organization. The council is the only European
institution that still has a presence in Belarus, and Jagland said he is
confident that the country will eventually become a member.
"The most important transformative force in the world today is the quest for
human rights," he noted. "At the end of the day, no ruler can escape from this
wind of history."
Contacts with the Belarusian government will not, however, resume until it
releases political prisoners, Jagland said. Belarus would also have to abolish
the death penalty to join the council.
Its powerful eastern neighbour, Russia, is already a member and may soon face
pressure of its own.
The country‘s ruling party has been accused of rigging recent parliamentary
elections in its favour, leading tens of thousands of people to take to the
streets in Moscow at the weekend.
Jagland said he has written to Russia‘s ambassador to express his concern about
the elections - specifically the fact that some political parties were blocked
from participating - and the way security forces at first handled protests.
He rejected suggestions that the Council of Europe should be more vocal in
criticizing Russia, noting that international election observers have yet to
finalize their reports on the poll.
"Our voice will be stronger when we have a clear legal basis for making our
comments," he said. "We will decrease our moral authority if we base our
comments only on what is written in the media ... Just to be talkative is not
the best way in this situation."
Jagland also insisted that it is key for the council to remain a
non-politicized institution to be effective.
The council focuses on monitoring problematic countries and helping to reform
their laws. It can also act against human rights violators through its European
Court of Human Rights. Jagland has led the organization since 2009.
While arguing that human rights have steadily been gaining ground in Europe
since World War II, Jagland also pointed to new challenges on the horizon -
with xenophobia induced by the economic crisis and media freedom topping his
list.
(source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur)
INDONESIA:
Sabahan faces death over RM3.3 mln methamphetamine smuggling bid
A Sabahan who is just five months away from ending his restricted residence for
drug abuse is now facing the death penalty for allegedly trying to smuggle into
the state 11 kilogrammes of the crystal-like substance, believed to be
methamphetamine.
The 31-year-old man from Keningau was nabbed at Terminal Two Airport in Tanjung
Aru upon arrival from Kuala Lumpur at around 10.40pm on Monday.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib told reporters yesterday that the
smuggled drugs, with an estimated market price of RM3.3 million, were their
biggest seizure for 2011.
“We acted based on information from our intelligence. The suspect, who works as
a plumber, tried eluding arrest by re-packing the drugs into 13 packets and
hiding them in several refined Chinese tea packages and beer and wine boxes,
all neatly sealed. He carried them in a sling bag and 2 luggage bags. He also
had RM2,068 cash with him,” said Hamza, adding that a team from narcotics, led
by ASP Bahar Pudji, apprehended him and led him to the airport’s police booth
for investigation.
The suspect, who has been in operation for the past few months, had smuggled in
the drugs for the Sabah market.
Initial investigation revealed that the suspect also tested positive on drugs
and has a previous conviction framed under Section 12 (2) of the Dangerous
Drugs Act (ADD), 1952.
The two-years RR was meted out on him under the Drug Dependent Act, Treatment
and Rehabilitation, 1983 by the Malaysian National Anti-Drug Agency, and is
expected to end the penalty by May next year.
During the period, the suspect is required to report to the Keningau District
Police chief at least once a month and is prohibited to leave the district.
“The suspect has obviously breached the condition. He is currently remanded
until Dec 18. He will be investigated under Section 15 (A) (1) DDA, 1952 for
consuming drugs which carries a RM5,000 fine or 2 years’ jail, or both, upon
conviction and also Section 39B of the same Act for drug trafficking where he
faces the death sentence by hanging, if found guilty,” said Hamza.
Although Hamza said police strongly believed the suspect was involved in a
syndicate, they were continuing investigation to establish his links.
“It is irrespective where his links are. If we find that he is involved with a
syndicate from Peninsular Malaysia, then we will be working with our
counterparts there to trace them down,” he said.
Just a few days back, the Sabah Customs Department nabbed a couple from Penang
for smuggling 10 kilogrammes of ketamine from China worth RM132,483 upon their
arrival at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
The 26-year-old man and 24-year-old woman, who also face the death penalty,
were arrested after the drugs, wrapped in white and brown papers, were found in
a hidden compartment in their luggage.
(source: Borneo Post)
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