Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
The resort to the death penalty for drug offenses continued unabated this week and arguably scaled new heights as an Indian court sentenced a man to death for selling hash and an Iranian court handed out the same sentence to a chronic drunk. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia lopped the heads off another pair of drug traffickers.
As reported by the death penalty abolitionist group Hands Off Cain, an Iranian court sentenced a 22-year-old man to death for repeatedly violating the Islamic Republic's ban on drinking alcohol. The man, identified only by his first name, Mohsen, has confessed and expressed remorse, his lawyer told the Iranian state news agency. Under Iran's Sharia law, a person caught drinking four times can face capital punishment, but the resort to the ultimate sanction for drinking is reportedly rare.
Meanwhile, India made a rare appearance among the ranks of the death-dealing countries this week when a Mumbai court meted out a death sentence for selling 20 kilos of hashish. Under Indian law, a second drug trafficking offense can merit the death penalty, but the sentence handed down to Gulam Malik was the first one in the city of Mumbai.
And Saudi Arabia kept up on its bid to be a world leader in drug executions, with the executions in Mecca last week of two people for drug trafficking. Pakistani citizen Ghulam Nawaz was beheaded after being found guilty of trafficking, as was Nigerian woman Tawa Ibrahim. Saudi Arabia follows a strict interpretation of Islamic law that prescribes the death sentence for murder, apostasy, rape, drug trafficking, highway robbery, sabotage and armed robbery.
The resort to the death penalty appears to be a violation of international law. An international campaign to end the practice is getting underway. Read about it here.
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.
Comments
Iran's dirty laundry
It strikes me as odd that the nation with the world's highest rate of heroin addiction would be executing people because they're alcoholics. It makes about as much sense as a nation of alcoholics putting people behind bars for smoking marijuana.
In reply to Iran's dirty laundry by Anonymous (not verified)
well USA is a nation of
well USA is a nation of alcoholics putting marijuana smokers behind bars.. USA was the main reason that hash selling carries such draconian sentences in India.. before the 60s, it was perfectly legal (and even religious) to smoke hash there.. then the USA enforced sanctions and everything went astray
This insanity must end soon
The murder and even imprisonment of people for "drug crimes" is such an affront to logic, love, and humanity---but the beat goes on. These abominations rarely make it past the tickertape of the mainstream media. I remember reading about the Chinese firing squads killing 100 "druggies" each year back in the 80's and 90's and basically reported as a soundbite. I'm not sure if it's still a tradition there. It's just about as sickening and insane as things can get. Where is the rage and the screaming for justice? I cannot help but say once again, that heads should roll ---the heads of the prohibitionists, drug warriors, law-makers and all their evil ilk.
I have never enjoyed
I have never enjoyed the way they work over there, infact I would remove most of those in power, if it need be by force I would do it. They have no right to kill anyone for hash. That is the best stuff on earth, besides space cake, those that kill the users of it should be killed themselves.
If I were a saudi arabian or from india, I would instigate a revolt in those countries.SUch blatant crimes against humanity should be punished by lopping THEIR heads off. TAKE A NOTE FROM THE FRENCH - INDIA - SAUDI ARABIA, OFF WITH 'ER HEAD! In america, its much harder because everyone is lazy and procrastinates, no one wants to get up and do anything. Seemingly out of no where there is a majority of anti-americans that are against us lazy procrastinating rebels. They are thickly religious, and a pain to the earth as they conform people to non-thought through fear tactics and brain washing.
Eventually too many people with too many friends with too many guns will get incredibly engraged at how anti-american this country is now. We will instigate the revolt and we will basically be fighting communism. Red coats, Illuminate! We must win too!
middle est mutha fuckars
man hash is not a drug its a herb, a plant tht god gave us ...killin people for selling hash shud be banned and the pm of saudi shud be beheaded
jay
Indians dont have their own brains. they leave thinking to a few
I come from India and Indians are like sheep. They can be made to believe anything the media and the Congress goverment says. In india, during past 4000 years sadhus used to smoke hash and meditate. During holi, we used to drink bhaang (a cannabis drink) to celebrate.. now even my dad is so anti-weed.. The loser above who says "Drugs are bad" has obviously been brainwashed like billions of other Indians ("sheeps") into believing that hash is bad or hash is a drug..
Dude grow up.. try it yourself before making such a harsh judgement.. When I was a kid, I was also a brainwashed moron like you.. now I am a regular user of weed (and I dont live in India anymore).. weed/hash is not a drug.. its just a herb and now we are beginning to find so many positive uses for it.. for instance recent studies show that the main active chemical in it cures cancer..
That dude should not only be given a complete pardon but also a reward for trying to make a difference and bringing back our old traditions that have been so corrupted by the british and the americans.
india sucks big time
That terrorist Afsal guru who killed several people in front of parliament in delhi will probably be pardoned in the government's bid to win minority votes and this poor guy caught with hash will probably be executed due to "mandatory" death sentence. such is the plight of india. Everything is based on vote bank politics. The govt will advocate even stronger sentences for "drug" offenses in order to pull votes of the brainwashed majority who believe hash is a "drug".
And Iran/saudi.. those countries are a lost cause. no point in even thinking how to improve them.
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