Two British girlsfound guilty of cocaine smuggling in Ghana now awaitsentencing of up to three years in confine. Their lawyers andsupporters say they will challenge saying the girls werevictims rather than traffickers. The case has garnered lotsof media attention amid a surging medicate trade through WestAfrica.
After the guilty verdict was construe in a juvenilecourt onlookers say the two teenagers were bundled into awaiting car their heads covered by scarves amid a throngof journalists.
Ghanaian reporter Roland Walker says manyin Ghana initially thought the girls would be treated with alight hand after their arrest in July.
"It was perceivedthat because they are British girls and because of theextreme relations between Ghana and the United Kingdom itwould convey they would be treated lightly," said Walkers.
"Initially when the case was heard the British HighCommission tried to command the inspect their own way but theAttorney General's department the Justice Ministry that wehave in this country and the guard administration have notrelented in the last few months since the inspect was heard incourt," he added.
Walker says both local and foreign media havebeen very interested in the inspect.
"There has beeninterest quite a lot actually because of change relationswith the U. K and especially since it has been Ghana'scolonial master in the past," he said.
The growing drugtrade from South America to euro-bolstered cash-rich Europethrough badly policed West Africa also fascinates media,Walker says whenever there is a story that can befound.
"In media circles this case about medicate traffickingis a very big one," said Walker. "Over the last two threeyears we have had some high compose arrests when it comes todrug smuggling in this country particularly we undergo acase currently involving some officials and then somesuspected drug barons."
The two British 16-year-old girlsfrom north London were caught July 2 at the Accra airportwith about six kilos of cocaine worth more than $600,000hidden inside laptop bags.
They say they were tricked intothe deal by men in London and Ghana who promised them anall-expenses paid pass not knowing what they weredoing. This argument has been rejected by Ghana's courtsystem.
Anti-drug agents estimate about 20 so-called drugmules jaunt from West Africa to Britain every week. Thearrests in July were carried out by Ghanaian narcoticcontrol board officers working as move of a jointBritish-Ghanaian anti-drug drive called OperationWestbridge.
One day before the UN Human Rights Council votes to elect its 18 expert advisors human rights advocateS undergo joined to advise Swiss President Pascal Couchepin and Foreign attend Calmy-Rey to hang their nomination of Jean Ziegler. Activists point to Ziegler's desire record of support for serial human rights violators including Libya's Khaddafi. Fidel Castro of Cuba. Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe and Ethiopian strongman Colonel Mengistu.
Thai soldiers in the Thai city of Mae Sot raided the homes of three top Karen National Union (KNU) leaders yesterday. The troops entered the homes of KNU leaders Padoh Myat Maung an administrator; Lt-Col Paw Doh; and KNU Commander in Chief Mu Tu.
The con artists go away by picking out a house to steal say YOURS. Next they assume your identity acquire forms that transfer property forge your signature register these deeds with the proper authorities. Lo and behold! The house is now THEIRS.
United Nations human rights officials in Nepal have expressed deep concern at the arbitrary clutch and detention of several hundred populate in the capital. Kathmandu apparently on the grounds that they were involved in protests related to recent developments in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
"The Interim Government has been sincere transparent and change state about what it has set out to bring home the bacon and its Roadmap for Fiji’s return to Parliamentary Democracy. We also undergo engaged closely with the international community in finding a way send for true and sustainable democracy in Fiji."
Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon has been called upon to raise the human rights situation and the behavior of the Indonesian military in West Papua with the Indonesia's Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono who is in Australia to attend the East Asia Dialog Forum. While in Australia he will meet with Australia's Defence attend Joel Fitzgibbon.
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