Afghanistan: President Karzai Pardons Convicted Drug Traffickers (Taken Question)
Taken Question
Ian Kelly
Department Spokesman, Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of the Spokesman
Department Spokesman, Bureau of Public Affairs, Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
July 15, 2009
Question: What is our reaction to the recent release of five drug lords in Afghanistan?
Answer: We note that the Government of Afghanistan has scored some notable successes in arresting, successfully prosecuting, and sentencing known narco-traffickers.
The U.S. has aided Afghanistan in these efforts. The Department of State, through the U.S. Department of Justice, has contributed approximately $6 million to the development of the Criminal Justice Task Force. Established in May 2005, this joint task force is responsible for investigating and bringing cases against mid- and high-level traffickers.
It is disappointing however, when successfully-prosecuted traffickers are later released, as has occurred recently. This undermines the work of the Afghan Ministries of the Interior and Counter Narcotics.
Answer: We note that the Government of Afghanistan has scored some notable successes in arresting, successfully prosecuting, and sentencing known narco-traffickers.
The U.S. has aided Afghanistan in these efforts. The Department of State, through the U.S. Department of Justice, has contributed approximately $6 million to the development of the Criminal Justice Task Force. Established in May 2005, this joint task force is responsible for investigating and bringing cases against mid- and high-level traffickers.
It is disappointing however, when successfully-prosecuted traffickers are later released, as has occurred recently. This undermines the work of the Afghan Ministries of the Interior and Counter Narcotics.
PRN: 2009/730
[This is a mobile copy of Afghanistan: President Karzai Pardons Convicted Drug Traffickers (Taken Question)]
Page 1 of 1