In the light last week's sentencing of Nolubabalo 'Babsie' Nobanda to 15 years in a Thai prison for drug smuggling, Keanen Williams compares her sentence with the penalties in other countries.
In the light last week's sentencing of Nolubabalo 'Babsie' Nobanda to 15 years in a Thai prison for drug smuggling, Keanen Williams compares her sentence with the penalties in other countries. The information here is sourced from http://blog.thegooddrugsguide.com/0801/7-countries-you-dont-want-to-get-caught-with-drugs-in/. When travelling abroad make sure you're aware of the country’s criminal penalties, especially those against drug offenders, because in some rare cases you may even find yourself in trouble for a crime you didn't know you committed.
There are nations less stringent against drug offenders where you could get off with a light prison sentence and, or a fine. But in the case of countries that are strongly against drug-related crimes, the chances are good that you could be sentenced to life imprisonment or even receive the death penalty.
Countries with severe drug penalties, like Singapore, condemn offenders to be hanged for having as much as 17 ounces (482g) of marijuana or half an ounce (14g) of cocaine in their possession.
Malaysia is no different, as the death penalty is also imposed on anyone caught with enough marijuana or heroin to constitute drug trafficking.
Iran is said to be the most active when it comes to executing drug offenders. Punishment can range from being on the receiving end of 70 lashes for possessing of a gram of marijuana to the death penalty for more serious drug offences.
Indonesia has strict anti-drug laws; a drug user can receive a prison term of 10-15 years. Drug dealers are at a greater risk there however, as capital punishment, carried out by firing squad, is usually reserved for them.
Even alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia, so possession or consumption of booze or drugs can be treated with jail sentences. Only drug traffickers who are convicted there are condemned to the same fate of rapists and murderers: public beheading.
Within a span of 17 months, between January 2005 to May 2006, China convicted over 53 000 drug offenders with more than 22 000 of them receiving life sentences or the death penalty.
The United Arab Emirates is another country with harsh drug penalties, sentencing its drug offenders to capital punishment. But their policies apply to the tiniest trace of any substance deemed illegal in the country.
There have been cases where people received jail sentences for accidentally having poppy seeds in their possession, and one man was caught with 0.003g of marijuana, which was presumably stuck to a cigarette which he had stepped on in an airport. They both received four-year prison sentences.
