Pubdate: Wed, 20 Apr 2016
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Copyright: 2016 Associated Press
Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1
Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388

CLASH OVER DEATH FOR DRUG OFFENSES

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The first U.N. special session to address 
global drug policy in nearly 20 years bristled with tension Tuesday 
over the use of the death penalty for drug-related offenses, as 
countries wrestled over whether to emphasize criminalization and 
punishment or health and human rights.

The outcome document adopted by member states included no criticism 
of the death penalty, saying only that countries should ensure that 
punishments are "proportionate" with the crimes.

"Disproportional penalties ... create vicious cycles of 
marginalization and further crime," Mexican President Enrique Pena 
Nieto told the gathering. He also called for the decriminalization of 
marijuana for medical and scientific purposes and said the 
international community's responses to drug issues is "frankly, insufficient."

He said Mexico in the coming days would announce specific drug 
policies with an emphasis on health and human rights.

Indonesia, which last year executed 14 people, mostly foreigners, 
convicted of drug-related crimes amid an international outcry, 
defended its stance Tuesday, saying the death penalty is not 
prohibited under international law.

China, which along with countries such as Saudi Arabia and Iran 
carries out executions for drug offenses, signaled little flexibility 
on its approach.

Prior to this week's three-day meeting, Democratic presidential 
candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, and hundreds of others 
sent an open to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon letter saying the 
war on drugs has failed. It said that for decades, governments have 
focused resources on repressing drug use, resulting in the 
imprisonment of millions of people, mostly the poor and ethnic 
minorities, and mostly for nonviolent offenses

The letter's signers called for a shift from emphasizing 
criminalization to health and human rights.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom