INTERNATIONAL FUNDING FOR DRUG ENFORCEMENT AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Early day motion 383, tabled 1 July 2010 by Caroline Lucas (Green). Signed by 16 members.

That this House welcomes the report by the International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA) on the death penalty and international support for drug enforcement policies; notes with alarm that, of the 58 states which retain the death penalty, 27 permit its use to punish drug offences; further notes the huge disparity in the definition of a capital drug offence in domestic legislation of retentionist countries; shares the IHRA's concern that the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the European Commission and individual European governments' economic and technical assistance for domestic drug enforcement in countries that retain the death penalty risks promoting human rights abuses; recalls the statements of the UN Human Rights Committee and the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions have both stated that executions for drug offences are in violation of international human rights laws; and calls on the Government to review its policies on funding for drug enforcement activities in countries which retain the death penalty.

Signatures by party: Labour 9, Liberal Democrat 2, Plaid Cymru 2, Conservative 1, Green 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.