Egypt approves death penalty for drug dealers
Tramadol is the most popular drug among users, followed by cannabis and heroin
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Egypt’s cabinet has approved a draft law that would see drug dealers sentenced to death. The law was part of a broader bill to combat the spread of narcotics in the country and drugs trafficking. The draft amendment states that anyone who “brought or exported synthetic substances with an anaesthetic effect, or harmful to mind, body, or psychological and neurological condition shall be punished by death”, adding that those who possessed drugs for the purpose of trafficking could face life imprisonment and a maximum fine of $28,000. According to Amnesty, Egyptian civil and military courts issued more than 1,400 death sentences, mostly related to incidents of political violence, following grossly unfair trials, with testimonies often obtained through torture.
