UNITED NATIONS/DRUGS: THE TRANSNATIONAL RADICAL PARTY - THE ONLY ANTIPROHIBITIONIST NGO WITH CONSULTATIVE STATUS - INTERVENED AT THE UN COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS IN VIENNA DENOUNCING THE VIOLATIONS OF THE BASIC INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS MADE IN THE CONTEXT OF THE INTERNATIONAL JUDICIAL COOPERATION ACTIVITIES.

Vienna - New York, October 8, 1997. Representatives from the Transnational Radical Party intervened during the works of the Commission on narcotic drugs of the UN asking the Member States to end the crazy race toward the strengthening of policies and judiciary measures in the fight against drugs.

"The war on drugs risks becoming a pretext for reinforcing the possibility of surveillance on every aspect of the daily lives of citizens, infringing on the amount of freedom they usually enjoy when not being surveyed" Marina Sikora said in her intervention on behalf of the Transnational Radical Party.

Ms. Sikora also invited the Commission on Narcotic Drugs "to explicitly exclude, in the framework of judicial cooperation, any recourse to the following instruments, even in exceptional conditions:

- the reversal of the burden of proof;

- double incrimination;

- confiscation prior to final conviction;

- the extradition to countries where the punishment would be inhumane or disproportionate;

Moreover, Ms. Sikora added, "These limits would be more effective if they caused Member States to take note of the failure of the repressive policies on drugs and avoid further proposal of their reinforcement."The Transnational Radical Party, which is following the works of the Preparatory body for the special session of the UNGA on international drug control, will deliver tomorrow its statement on "Money laundering".

Transnational Radical Party