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LIPPO CIKARANG - The House of Representatives has passed a new anti-narcotics bill last Monday amid criticism from anti-drug groups saying that the new 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," said Asmin Fransisca, the coordinator for the Indonesian Coalition for Drug Policy Reform (ICDPR).
The law should have recognized that a proper solution to drug addiction is to empower drug addicts, not to punish them as criminals." Under the new law, parents of underage addicts that do not report their child to the authorities can be fined to 1 million Rupiah (70 euro) and six months in prison. Asmin also said that the law now lays fighting illegal drugs with society instead of the government.
"The article, however, does not clearly elaborate on what kind of civil participation is needed to fight the war against drug trafficking. Without clear regulations, the law is open to many forms of exploitation by civil groups, including acts of vigilantism," she said. The new law, which replaces the one adopted in 1997, also stipulates a death penalty for drug users.
"Death penalties are not in line with the purpose of modern criminal charges that aim to rehabilitate a person rather than punish them for their actions," she said. "Basically, I believe this law is not in line with the basic principles of human rights." Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Andi Matalatta, said that the new law was adopted to save younger generations from drug use. The law has been talked about for four years before it was officially adopted.
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