Amnesty International Calls for Complete Abolition of Death Penalty for Drug Traffickers

Amnesty International, referring to a proposal to reduce the death penalty for drug traffickers in the Iranian parliament, has called for representatives to completely abolish the death penalty for drug-related crimes. On July 16, the Iranian parliament approved the generalities of a bill to add a clause to the Anti-Narcotics Law with 182 votes in favor, 36 against, and 6 abstentions. According to the current law, the production, distribution, sale, or importation of more than 5 kilograms of cannabis, opium, or other narcotics, as well as more than 30 grams of heroin, morphine, cocaine, and other chemical derivatives, carries the death penalty. However, according to Hassan Norouzi, spokesperson for the Judicial and Legal Commission of the parliament, the new proposed law stipulates the death penalty for the production and distribution of 50 kilograms of traditional drugs and 2 kilograms of industrial drugs. If this law is passed, it is said that 4,000 to 5,000 death row inmates will be spared from execution. Under this proposal, individuals sentenced to death before the law's approval, without prior trafficking records and for cases involving less than 2 kilograms of industrial drugs and 100 kilograms of traditional drugs, will have their sentences converted from death to imprisonment. Currently, Amnesty International and the Abdol-Hossein Boroumand Foundation, which monitor human rights issues in Iran, have issued a joint statement calling for the complete abolition of the death penalty for drug offenders. Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, stated: 'Instead of abolishing the death penalty for drug-related crimes, Iranian officials are preparing to adopt a very disappointing law that will continue to pour gasoline on the execution machine and maintain Iran's position in the world as one of the countries with the highest execution rates.' This statement cites Iranian officials claiming that nearly 10,000 drug offenders have been executed since 1988. Mughrabi also noted that initial drafts of this proposal had considered more lenient penalties for drug offenders, but commission members retreated due to opposition from security agencies. Norouzi had previously told Shargh newspaper, 'Unfortunately, some security and governmental centers had sent a letter requesting that this proposal be delayed for a year and kept on hold.' According to earlier drafts of this proposal, the death penalty would only apply to three categories of drug traffickers: those using firearms, those operating in organized crime or using minors for trafficking, and those with a 15-year conviction related to drug offenses. However, Mughrabi stated: 'Although this law, if properly implemented, would reduce executions, it would still send many to the gallows annually for crimes that, under international law, should not be punishable by death at all.' According to Amnesty International statistics, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Pakistan had the highest number of executions in 2016. Based on this report, at least 567 people were executed in Iran in 2016, a 42% decrease from the previous year. In 2015, at least 977 people were executed in Iran according to these statistics. Supporters and experts advocating for reduced penalties for drug-related crimes in Iran argue that these measures have had little impact on reducing trafficking and drug use. In this context, changes in conditions leading to the execution of drug traffickers in the new parliamentary proposal indicate that '17% of the Iranian population is inclined to use drugs.' The Iranian border guards reported seizing '30 horses and mules carrying a shipment of weapons and ammunition.' Over 700 drug dealers were arrested in Tehran within 24 hours.