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Swede sentenced to death in Malaysia

A 44-year-old Swedish citizen has been given the death penalty by a Malaysian court for drugs trafficking, a crime which is penalized by hanging in the south-east Asian country.

Published: 12 April 2013 15:59 CEST
Swede sentenced to death in Malaysia

“Our embassy staff members have visited the man regularly since he was arrested and have also followed the trial,” Anna Buhré Kervefors of the Foreign Ministry told the Dagens Nyheter newspaper.

“We don’t have any information about whether the man will appeal.”

The 44-year-old was arrested in the arrivals hall of the Kuala Lumpur airport in December 2011. He was carrying 4.3 kilograms of methamphetamine. The drugs were hidden at the bottom of his bag.

On Thursday, a Malaysian court issued the death penalty with the judge, Noor Azian, claiming the prosecutor had sound evidence against the man.

“With no other alternatives available, the court has to impose a sentence of death as provided under the law,” said Azian, according to Malaysian news site NewStraitsTimes.

Azian said the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case and that the Swede had relied solely on denial in his defence against the charge.

The Swede is of Iranian origin and was living in Stockholm before moving to Thailand several years ago. According to the news site Asiaone News, the 44-year-old owns a bar in Pattaya, a popular holiday destination for Swedes.

“I haven’t seen or heard from him in at least five years,” the man’s ex-wife told Aftonbladet. She was shocked to hear of his ordeal.

“I know that he has travelled to Thailand before, but I had no idea he had moved there. I have asked him to get in touch now and then or to send a postcard, but he never did,” she said.

A total of nine witnesses testified in the trial.

Representatives at Sweden’s Foreign Ministry remained in the dark about proceedings, but pointed out that the Swede was not alone in standing in line for the death penalty.

“There are several hundred people who are in prison and awaiting a death penalty,” Catarina Axelsson, spokeswoman at the ministry, told the Aftonbladet newspaper.

“But the last execution in Malaysia was carried out in 2010,” she added.

“The hope has been that Malaysia would abolish the death penalty, but it can take time. Sweden and the EU are actively working against the death penalty.”

Axelsson said that it was “very unusual” for a Swede to be sentenced to death.

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DRUGS

Germany should make cannabis available at pharmacies not ‘coffee shops’, says FDP boss

Germany's possible new government could well relax the country's strict cannabis laws. But FDP leader Christian Lindner says he doesn't want to go down the Netherlands route.

Published: 18 October 2021 12:50 CEST
A demonstrator smokes a joint at the pro-cannabis Hanfparade in Berlin in August 2021.
A demonstrator smokes a joint at the pro-cannabis Hanfparade in Berlin in August 2021. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Annette Riedl

The Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) are set to engage in coalition talks in a bid to become the next German government.  And the future of cannabis will likely be one of the topics to be thrashed out.

In drug policy, the three parties are not too far apart in their positions. So it’s possible that the drug could be decriminalised.

However, nothing is set in stone and the parties still haven’t come to a common line on the question of where and to what extent cannabis could be accessed. 

The leader of the Liberal FDP, Christian Lindner, has now come out in favour of allowing cannabis products such as hashish to be sold in a controlled manner. 

Consumers should be allowed “to purchase a quantity for their own use, for example, in a pharmacy after health education,” Lindner told a live broadcast on German daily Bild on Sunday.

Lindner said he was sceptical about the sale in “coffee shops” according to the Dutch model. “I am in favour of controlled distribution, and therefore health education must be able to take place,” he said.

READ MORE: Patients in Germany still face hurdles accessing medical marijuana

People in the Netherlands can access cannabis products in coffee shops under the country’s tolerant drugs policy. However coffee shops have to follow certain strict conditions. For instance they are not allowed to sell large quantities to an individual. 

Lindner said his main aims were about “crime and health prevention” and not with “legalising a right to intoxication”.

It’s not clear if Lindner advocates for prescription-only cannabis for medical use, or an over-the-counter model. 

The FDP previously said that they they are in favour of the creation of licensed shops. Their manifesto highlights the health benefits, tax windfalls and reallocation of police resources that legalisation would create.

The Green party also want licensed shops, as well as a whole new approach to drug control starting with the controlled legalisation of marijuana. The Greens state that “strict youth and user protection” would be the centre point of their legislation and hope to “pull the rug from under the black market”.

The SPD also want a reform of Germany’s prohibition stance – but are more cautious than the smaller parties on the legalisation aspect. They would like to initially set up pilot projects. 

READ ALSO: Why Germany could be on the brink of legalising cannabis

Controversial topic

So far, the sale of cannabis is officially banned in Germany. Possession of cannabis is also currently illegal across the entire country. Those caught carrying the substance can face anything from a fine to five years in jail.

However, the justice system generally looks away if you are caught carry small quantities for personal use unless you have a previous conviction.

The definition of personal use differs from state to state, with Berlin having the most liberal rules and Bavaria the tightest.

It is estimated that around four million people regularly use cannabis in Germany.

Representatives of police unions in Germany have warned against legalisation. They argue that cannabis is an often trivialised drug that can lead to considerable health problems and social conflicts, especially among young people.

Oliver Malchow, from the GdP police union, said that “it doesn’t make any sense to legalise another dangerous drug on top of alcohol”.

The current Ministry of Health also continues to oppose the legalisation of cannabis, a spokesperson for Minister Jens Spahn (CDU) made clear. Cannabis is a dangerous substance and therefore legalisation is not advisable, the spokesman said. 

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