RI Chooses Not to Respond to Anti-Death Penalty Calls

Jakarta (Antara) - Indonesia will not respond to a report issued by International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), calling for the eradication of death penalty for narcotic drug convicts. The Indonesian delegate to the 58th Commission on Narcotic Drugs (NCD) session, Bali Moniaga, said the Indonesian government has decided firmly not to respond to the report, according to a press statement from the National Anti-Narcotics Agency (BNN) received on Saturday. It said Indonesia and several other countries have criticized the report issued by the INCB, which appeals to countries, which are still defending death penalty and implementing it for sentencing narcotic convicts, to reconsider their stance. During the CND session in Vienna, which will be held from March 9 to 17, INCB will push for a consensus on the eradication of death penalty so that the decision can be translated into law in all countries. The Executive Director of Harm Reduction International also made a suggestion to the United Nations to stop operational aid to countries that still implement death penalty for drug convicts. (*)