The Minister for Women, Children, and Poverty Alleviation, Lynda Tabuya, is advocating for the reintroduction of the death penalty for drug traffickers apprehended with substantial quantities of drugs.
In a recent media interview, Tabuya pointed out that Fiji is a transit hub for drug trafficking to other markets, emphasizing the urgent need for stricter laws to safeguard the nation’s borders and its citizens. She voiced her serious concerns regarding the accessibility of drugs in urban areas, affecting both adults and children.
Tabuya argued that to effectively deter drug traffickers and protect the population, including those unaware of the detrimental effects of drugs, stringent measures such as the death penalty should be considered. She highlighted that the quick financial gains from the drug trade ultimately do more harm than good to the economy.
Furthermore, she suggested that implementing harsher penalties, including capital punishment, could help diminish the drug trade and its negative impacts on Fiji.
Looking at the context of the death penalty in Fiji, it’s important to note that the country abolished this form of punishment in 1979 for ordinary crimes and extended that ban to all crimes in 2015. The last execution was carried out in 1964. Since the ratification of the UN Convention Against Torture in 2015, Fiji reaffirmed its dedication to upholding the principles of universal human rights, which began with the enforcement of the constitution in 2013 that included a comprehensive Bill of Rights. Additionally, efforts to eliminate references to the death penalty in military laws were made, thereby abolishing it from all national legislation.