On April 10, the National Assembly of Laos approved an amendment to legislation which will for the first time provide for the death penalty for drug trafficking and possession offences. Possession of more than 500 grams of heroin, more than three kilograms of methamphetamines, and more than 10 kilograms of precursor chemicals used in the production of illegal drugs will become capital offences. The government of Myanmar also sentences people to death for drug trafficking. Two Singaporean nationals were sentenced to death last year. Amnesty International understands that governments have a responsibility to deal effectively with serious crime.
Governments often justify their use of the death penalty saying public opinion favours it.
However, no studies on the use of the death penalty have found that it has a deterrent effect. Imposition of the death penalty is especially dangerous when trials are not fair, and may result in fatal miscarriages of justice. This risk is compounded by the use of torture and ill-treatment by police to coerce confessions. United Nations representatives at the meeting should reiterate the organization's call for an end to executions for drug-related offences. More than half the world's countries have abolished the death penalty in law or practice.