Legislators OK Death Penalty in Drug Cases
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Laos, one of the world’s leading opium producers, will soon introduce the death penalty for serious drug offenses, an official newspaper in Vientiane, the capital, reported.
The National Assembly approved an amendment to the penal code Tuesday before ending its parliamentary session. Previously, serious drug trafficking and possession offenses carried a maximum 10-year jail sentence.
The change in the law, expected to get final approval within the next month from the country’s president, will bring the nation in line with strict anti-drug legislation in other Southeast Asian countries.
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