Aug. 14
UNITED KINGDOM:
MPs to review UK's 13m pounds overseas 'war on drugs' linked to execution of
non-violent offenders
Claims the execution of "innocent scapegoats" in Pakistan, Iran and Saudi
Arabia are funded by millions of British pounds funneled into counter-narcotics
operations overseas have forced the UK government to reassess the human rights
implications of its policy.
The chair of Britain's Home Affairs Select Committee, Keith Vaz, announced
plans to "look again" at the policy, after human rights group Reprieve raised
concerns that Britain's 13 million pounds foreign "war on drugs" is potentially
funding executions abroad.
Reprieve had previously attacked Britain's backing of counter-narcotics
operations in states that impose the death penalty for non-violent drugs
offenses. The human rights group warned that such action is driving up the
number of death sentences in these countries.
The Iranian government has reportedly executed 394 drugs offenders this year,
while Saudi Arabian authorities have beheaded some 47 non-violent drugs
offenders. Since resuming executions 7 months ago, the Pakistani government has
killed at least 180 people.
Reprieve is particularly concerned about the 12 million pounds worth of British
taxpayers' money gifted to the Pakistani Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), which has
sent over 100 alleged drug traffickers to death row.
The ANF has described these supposed mules on its website as "prosecution
achievements."
Reprieve says the ANF has sent 8,500 alleged drugs traffickers to death row,
several of whom are thought to be British citizens.
The ANF has also broadened its hanging campaign to cover all prisoners on death
row, including those who have committed non-violent offenses. Among these are
mentally ill people and juveniles.
Britain's Overseas Security and Justice (OSJA) guidelines require ministers to
consider human rights risks associated with assisting governments abroad. But
the government has flatly refused to come clean on key details of its
decision-making with respect to its funding of overseas counter-narcotics
operations.
The Home Office had previously maintained that releasing this information would
damage its diplomatic relations with the Pakistani government and jeopardize
Britain???s national security.
In July, Reprieve launched a legal challenge against the British government,
demanding to know why ministers had refused to reveal whether state regulations
were adhered to when the UK channeled the funds to Pakistan.
To date, large sections of these hearings at the Information Rights Tribunal
(IRT) have been held in secret.
The director of Reprieve's death penalty team, Maya Foa, accused the government
of enabling abusive police who gloat about executing innocent people.
"Hundreds of vulnerable mules and innocent scapegoats are being executed or
languishing on death row in countries such as Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia,"
she said.
"It is utterly unacceptable that the British government is contributing to this
situation, by propping up abusive police forces who openly boast about
sentencing people to death."
Vaz has expressed concern over Britain's financial and operational backing of
foreign counter-narcotics operations. The Labour MP for Leicester East has
written to Home Secretary Theresa May to make inquiries.
Vaz has asked the committee he chairs to examine whether the government's
support of these operations is in line with Home Office policy recommendations.
Britain is the most prolific funder of foreign anti-narcotics operations in
Europe. Irish and Danish authorities have withdrawn funding for such programs
over concerns the money was linked to death sentencing for drugs offenders.
United Nations monitors recently stated that UK-funded schemes in Pakistan may
have bolstered drugs seizures, but had made little impact on the drugs trade
overall. They further suggested that incidences of drug trafficking had
increased in the face of Pakistan's UK-backed counter-narcotics program.
(source: rt.com)
INDONESIA:
BNN nabs 8 drug dealers
The National Narcotics Agency (BNN) said on Friday that it had arrested eight
suspected members of an international drug syndicate, which had attempted to
smuggle 2.3 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine into Indonesia.
"The meth was brought from Malaysia to Dumai, Riau, using a speedboat on Aug.
11, 2015," BNN spokesperson Sr. Comr. Slamet Pribadi said, as quoted by
tempo.co.
Slamet said that the suspects were arrested in 3 different locations. 5 of the
suspects, with initials AK, aged 34, AM, 36, JM, 37, FA, 34, and FN, aged 39,
were arrested on a street in West Dumai, Riau. Meanwhile, suspects with
initials I, aged 30, and F, aged 34, were arrested at a house in West Dumai.
1 suspect, K, aged 29 and believed to be the ringleader, was arrested in Berau
in East Kalimantan.
Slamet explained that the syndicate was organized by Iranian migrants in
Malaysia. It was suspected that the meth was on the way to Medan to then be
distributed in Jakarta.
Suspect FN confessed that he had already received Rp 20 million (US$1,450) of a
promised fee of Rp 40 million for delivering the meth.
The 8 suspects will be charged with violating Law No. 35/2009 on narcotics,
which carries a maximum penalty of death.
(source: The Jakarta Post)
IRAQ:
Iraqi president unsure about court's use of death penalty
Iraq's President Fuad Masum said he has reservations about the Iraqi court's
issuance of death sentences against criminals.
"I'm not against the death penalty, I have already ratified death sentences
that have been pending for years and there are another 700 people sentenced to
death awaiting ratification," Masum said in a statement yesterday.
"I have some reservations on penalty sentences that have been issued against
criminals who have nothing to do with terrorism," Masum said, pointing out that
he had not authorised any of his deputies to "sign the death sentences, fearing
they will result in revenge."
Sources close to former Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki claimed there are at
least 7,000 people sentenced to death who are awaiting presidential
ratification.
The Iraqi authorities reinstated the death penalty in 2004, after suspending it
during the US troops' presence in Iraq, drawing international criticism. Some
50 crimes are punishable by the death penalty, including terrorism, kidnapping,
murder as well as damages to public property.
Remarking on Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi's anti-corruption campaign, Masum
said: "Although I welcome reforms and support the protesters, Prime Minister
Al-Abadi did not consult us on those reforms. I heard about them only through
the media."
"Without pressure from the people, Al-Abadi would have never been able to make
those reforms," he added.
(source: Middle East Monitor)
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