British money ‘may be supporting’ executions of drug mules in Saudi Arabia

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/22/uk-links-saudi-drug-mule-executions

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A United Nations agency that receives millions of pounds in UK funding has come under fire over its support for Saudi Arabia’s efforts to combat drug trafficking at a time when the death penalty is increasingly being used against drug mules in the kingdom.

The last two annual reports from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) both state that in the kingdom “UNODC has agreed to intensify its cooperation with the general directorate of narcotics control on drug control-related matters, including support to law enforcement efforts to combat illicit drug trafficking”.

The UK provides funding for specific UNODC programmes, although none of the money goes to Gulf countries.

“The UK does not provide funding to any UN Office on Drugs and Crime programmes in Saudi Arabia,” said a Home Office spokesman. “We oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle, and the UK government frequently states this position in the strongest terms.”

However, UK money does help pay for the general administration of UNODC, which has an annual budget of $600m (£401m). Critics question whether this support is consistent with the UK’s opposition to the death penalty.

“The Home Office, as one of UNODC’s biggest donors, can no longer remain silent,” said Maya Foa, director of the death penalty team at prisoners’ rights group Reprieve. “Theresa May must urgently raise this matter with UNODC, and come clean over how British money may be supporting executions by some of the world’s most abusive regimes.”

By 17 February this year, the Saudi authorities had reportedly executed 31 people, putting the country on course to surpass the 240 people executed in 2014. Of these, 11 appear to have been charged with drugs offences. According to Saudi media reports, a number of those executed were then “crucified”, a practice that involves placing the severed head of the offender back on the body and mounting it on a cross for display.

“This year has seen Saudi Arabia carry out executions at an alarming rate – half of which appear to be for non-violent drugs offences,” Foa said. “This must ring alarm bells for those supporting counter-narcotics policing in the kingdom. The UNODC must stop helping countries like Saudi Arabia send ever-greater numbers to the swordsman’s blade.”

UNODC’s presence in the Gulf has grown as the region has become a big heroin-trafficking route. Seizures of the drug in Saudi Arabia have increased from one kilo a year in the early 2000s to 111kg in 2011. Much of the trade is overseen by terrorist groups who force mules into smuggling heroin and other drugs through the kingdom by holding members of their family hostage.

Saudi attempts to combat the heroin trade are framed by UNODC executive director, Yury Fedotov, as a counter-terrorism measure. Fedotov has praised the kingdom’s efforts to clamp down on drug trafficking and highlighted the need for all Gulf countries to step up their efforts against heroin smuggling.

The Observer has repeatedly asked UNODC to comment about the nature of its work in helping Saudi Arabia combat drug trafficking but it declined.

However, in a letter to Reprieve, UNODC said it shared concerns about Saudi use of the death penalty, but its cooperation with the kingdom was “focused on technical assistance and capacity building”.