Briton faces death penalty in Egypt after conviction for drug-smuggling plot

[foolsgold]

Briton faces death penalty in Egypt after conviction for drug-smuggling plot
Court officials said British sailor was among five defendants caught trying to smuggle three tonnes of cannabis into Egypt

A British national has been sentenced to death in Egypt for being part of a multinational gang who plotted to smuggle a large amount of cannabis into the country, the Foreign Office has confirmed.

According to Egyptian court officials quoted by the Associated Press, the Briton, who is not named but has been described as a sailor, was handed a death sentence by a court in Red Sea province along with one co-defendant from Pakistan and three from the Seychelles. The court also imposed a fine of 85m Egyptian pounds (£8m).

The five were arrested on a ship near the Red Sea port of Marsa Alam in the process of trying to smuggle three tonnes of cannabis into the country.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said the government was "extremely concerned at the death sentence", saying the sentence had first been passed on 7 April and confirmed by the court on Monday.

She said: "We are opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. Our consular team in Cairo are in contact with the British national involved and we will do our utmost to prevent this execution."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/03/egypt-court-sentences-briton-to-death

 

[PurpleKush1]

Gah! fucking dicks death penalty for weed ? for fucks sake this is ridiculous. Even for H or Coke, what they dont seem to understand is that whenever they wip out a dealer another one will take place, and it will never stop. ANd secondly we human beings should be let the choice to do what we want with our body. Whats next, death penalty for suicide?

 

[foolsgold]

it does not state it in the thread i've used but on the bbc news website its as the brit is a 74 year old man

 

[my3rdeye]

Wonder where the hash was bound for? I would be surprised if 3 tonnes were going to Egypt, its worth a lot more in UK. What you think, going in some locals hookahs in Cairo, or just a transfer point to elsewhere?

 

[slimvictor]

I think they should kill her.
After all, that cannabis might have made people get the MUNCHIES.
Death is too good for her. She is causing social problems like obesity... (wait, cannabis smokers are less obese).
But they might get lung cancer. (wait, cannabis smokers get less cancer.)

Well, she is BREAKING THE LAW. And the law was made to protect people. Therefore, she must die.

 

[23536]

I thought muslims were ok with cannabis.

 

[Thorns Have Roses]

I thought muslims were ok with cannabis.

It is haram. The Islamic position is that whatever intoxicates in large quantities, is forbidden even in small quantities.

 

[slimvictor]

^
Essentially anything can be very "intoxicating" in large quantities.
Water can really mess you up if you drink enough of it. You can even die.
While it is not a typical intoxicant, you can definitely be thrown into madness as you near death. The condition is even called "water intoxication".

So, that law doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[Thorns Have Roses]

Intoxication at LD50 would not be counted (use common sense instead of using smartass lawyer-reasoning). I'm not saying we should agree with it, but it makes perfect sense (also, there are exceptions in the case of medical necessity, where no alternatives are available. So you can still have opioids for post-operative pain and whatnot).

Specifically wine is referred to, but this is taken to mean "intoxicants" in general, since intoxication leads to neglect of proper religious/ethical behavior. The mandate supports abstentionism/prohibitionism vs Christian-style moderationism. So the glass of wine with dinner goes out because it inevitably leads a small but significant portion of persons to drink to intoxication. You should seek relief/enjoyment from religious living instead.

From the Qur'an

O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters [to other than Allah ], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful.

Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?

O you who have believed, do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying or in a state of janabah, except those passing through [a place of prayer], until you have washed [your whole body]. And if you are ill or on a journey or one of you comes from the place of relieving himself or you have contacted women and find no water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and your hands [with it]. Indeed, Allah is ever Pardoning and Forgiving.

They ask you about intoxicants and gambling: say, "In them there is a gross sin, and some benefits for the people. But their sinfulness far outweighs their benefit." They also ask you what to give to charity: say, "The excess." Allah thus clarifies the revelations for you, that you may reflect, upon this life and the Hereafter