Friday, October 23, 2009

Indonesia Adopts New Repressive Narcotics Law

International Drug Policy Consortium


A new Narcotics Law was adopted by the Parliament in Jakarta in September 2009. Although a careful textual analysis of the legislation is still needed, it is clear that the political considerations far outweighed sensible drug policy arguments in the adoption process, which is reflected in the texts. As a consequence, the new law did not represent a move away from a repressive approach to drugs and their use towards a more considerate and complex legislation. At the same time with the adoption of the Narcotics Law, a new health law was passed by the legislative assembly. The linkages between these two pieces of legislation and their impact on drug treatment are still unclear. The appropriate response is still considered by both national and international stakeholders. A report from the Community Legal Aid Institute in Jakarta printed in their newsletter CAVEAT outlines the problems with the new legislation.


http://www.idpc.net/sites/default/files/alerts/CAVEAT%20-%20Vol%2004%20-%20I%20A4.pdf



Saturday, September 19, 2009

Southeast Asia: New Indonesian Drug Law Draws Human Rights Criticisms


After four years of debate, Indonesia's parliament passed a new drug law Monday. It was immediately criticized by reformers on numerous counts.
The new law maintains the death penalty for some drug offenses, criminalizes drug addiction, and makes it a crime for parents to fail to report their addicted children to authorities. The law also transfers responsibility for fighting drug trafficking from the government to civil society.
"The drugs law will save our children and young generation. It will be essential in the fight against drug trafficking," said Minister for Law and Human Rights Andi Mattalatta after the bill was passed. "Currently, drug dealing is not only conducted by individuals but by drugs syndicates that operate neatly," he said.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Indonesia’s life or death Drug Laws


On Monday 15 September 2009, the Indonesian Parliament voted in stricter drugs laws as part of the Government's efforts to toughen up their national "War on Drugs".
The law maintains the death penalty for some drug offences and has criminalised drug addiction. Now, Indonesian parents must also be aware that they have committed a crime if they fail to notify the authorities of their drug addicted children.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Drug Addicts Branded As Criminals Under New Law


The House of Representatives passed the anti-narcotics bill into law Monday amid criticism from anti-drug groups that the newly passed law will not help rehabilitate drug addicts.
“This law classifies drug addicts as criminals and therefore subjects them to criminal charges, while doctors have said that drug addiction is a curable disease,” the Indonesian Coalition for Drug Policy Reform (ICDPR) coordinator Asmin Fransisca told reporters outside the House’ plenary session hall.
“The law should have recognized that a proper solution to drug addiction is to empower drug addicts, not to punish them as criminals.”

Monday, September 14, 2009

Regulasi NAPZA Indonesia di Persimpangan Jalan

Yvonne Sibuea


Ungkapan berbahasa latin Vox populi, vox dei (Suara Tuhan adalah Suara Rakyat ) terbukti tidak berlaku di bumi pertiwi Indonesia.  Suara rakyat yang pada masa kampanye pemilihan anggota legislatif diperebutkan untuk mendongkrak peringkat calon-calon legislatif  merebut kursi empuk DPR RI, ternyata sama sekali dinafikan pada saat mereka telah berhasil mencapai misinya. Suara rakyat tidak dibutuhkan lagi, setidaknya sampai 5 tahun ke depan, saat pemilu legislatif kembali digelar.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Drug policy revolution in Indonesia?


Mexico passed a controversial law on Aug. 20, 2009, decriminalizing people's personal use of drugs. Under the new law, the maximum amount of marijuana that can be considered for personal use is 5 grams - the equivalent of about four marijuana cigarettes. Other limits are half a gram of cocaine, 50 milligrams of heroin, 40 milligrams of methamphetamine and 0.015 milligrams of LSD.
Anyone caught with possession of drug amounts below and up to the allowed limit for their personal use will be encouraged to seek treatment. For those caught a third time, treatment is mandatory - although there are no specified penalties for noncompliance.
This demand-reduction policy contradicts the supply-reduction policy adopted by the Mexican government. In terms of supply reduction, Mexico uses a traditional approach to national security and transnational crime reduction. The use of police and military forces is chosen by the government to reduce the supply of illicit drugs into Mexico.
Without doubt, the decriminalization policy is a progressive effort to humanize people who use drugs. Addiction in general, including addiction to all kind of drugs, is no longer viewed as a kind of behavior. Through this new policy, it is already being viewed as a kind of disease. Some experts define addiction as a chronic disease similar to other chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.


Monday, August 3, 2009

Indonesia's Drug Fight Pushes Prison AIDS Explosion

Aubrey Belford (AFP)


JAKARTA — Their tattooed skin hanging loosely from hollowed-out limbs, the young men in the clinic at the edge of Jakarta's Cipinang Narcotic Prison lie limply across black vinyl beds.


The half-dozen inmates are in the advanced stages of HIV/AIDS, and are part of a crisis that has seen the disease sweep through Indonesia's overcrowded, squalid and corrupt prisons.