Crime in Bhutan
Encyclopedia
Bhutan
has a low crime
rate. Incidents of petty crime
are occasionally reported in the country. Violent crime
is very uncommon. Some cases of drug abuse
are reported; alcohol
abuse is a problem. But in general, drug trafficking is low. The most serious threat to Bhutan
's security is terrorism
by different terrorist groups from India
illegally camped in the nation.
In June 1999, television
was introduced in the country and Bhutan became the last nation in the world to have television. The introduction of television is often regarded as incompatible with Bhutanese culture and a cause behind the increase in crime. An editorial in Kuensel
, the national newspaper of Bhutan, suggested:
A study conducted by some Bhutanese academics found that cable television
has caused strong desire for western products among the people of the country and resulted in the increase in crime rate.
is extremely low in Bhutan. Levels of theft
are low. Petty crime like pickpocketing
are occasionally reported in the country. Juvenile crime has relatively increased; the highest rate of juvenile crime was reported in 2003, and 63 youths were convicted across the nation. Rape
is not an extensive problem; in 1999 only 10 incidents of rape were reported in Bhutan. Homicide rate is low. In 1998, homicide rate per 100,000 citizens was 2.78. Bhutan is a source and transit country for human trafficking
. Women are trafficked from Bhutan to other countries for commercial sexual exploitation. But Bhutan is not a destination country; women from other nations are not trafficked into Bhutan.
In April 2002, Bhutan suffered a wave of crime. Although there were some reports of fraud
, violence and few cases of homicide
from many towns and villages, Bhutan never experienced serious violation of law before it. The first case of corruption in Bhutan was reported on April 5, 2002, when Parop Tshering, a 42-year-old chief accountant of the State Trading Corporation, was charged with embezzlement
. Four cases of white-collar crime
and violent crime were reported in April 2003.
In the Corruption Perceptions Index
2007, Bhutan was ranked 46th out of 179 countries for corruption (least corrupt countries are at the top of the list). On a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 the most corrupt and 10 the most transparent, Transparency International
rated Bhutan 5.0.
, presence of porous borders and the refugee population make Bhutan vulnerable to drug trafficking. Bhutan has proximity to certain areas in Nepal
and North-East India
where intravenous drug use is relatively high. Due to such geographical location, Bhutan also becomes vulnerable to an increase in intravenous drug use. Marijuana, which grows as a shrub in Bhutan, was only used to feed pigs before the introduction of television. But hundreds were arrested in recent years for using marijuana. Use of amphetamines and benzodiazepines smuggled from India is rising in Thimpu and in the Southern Bhutan. However, drug trafficking and production of opium
, cannabis
and other drugs is not any significant problem in the country.
Alcohol consumption is the most serious addiction related problem in the nation. Alcohol abuse is reported in nearly 80% cases associated with domestic violence
.
There are some characteristics of the situation on drug abuse in Bhutan.
The Government of Bhutan has taken several measures to counter these problems. Bhutan is a party of the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
(1988). Many laws have been enacted which include the Civil and Criminal Procedure Code (2000), the Sales Tax, Customs and Excise Act (2000), the Medicines Act (2003), the Penal Code of Bhutan (2004), and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Act (2005). In 2004, selling of tobacco
products to Bhutanese citizens was outlawed in the country and thus Bhutan became the first nation in the world to ban tobacco sales. Severe punishment was introduced for selling of tobacco. A fine of $210 was imposed for the culprits and cancellation of business licenses for owners of shops and hotels illegally selling tobacco. Karma Tshering of the Bhutanese Customs said, "If any foreigner is caught selling tobacco products to Bhutanese nationals, he will be charged with smuggling. Tobacco will be treated as contraband." However a black market in tobacco has flourished in the country.
have set up training camps in the southern part of the country. The United Liberation Front of Asom
(ULFA), the National Democratic Front of Bodoland
(NDFB) and the Bodo Liberation Tigers Force
(BLTF) had bases in Bhutan in 2002. Terrorists were involved in murders, extortion and kidnappings. Under increasing pressure from the Government of India
, Bhutan issued a ultimatum to the terrorists for leaving the country by December 2001, and in December 2003, the Royal Bhutan Army
,
aided by the Special Frontier Force
, launched a military campaign. Many terrorist camps were destroyed in the operation. It is suspected that terrorists are trying to make retaliatory attacks against Bhutan. On September 5, 2004, a bomb exploded in Gelephu
killing two people and injuring twenty seven. The NDFB was suspected behind the attack.
The Government of Bhutan has taken several legal and military actions for combating terrorism. On September 4, 2004, one hundred and eleven people received various sentences ranging from four years to life imprisonment
for helping terrorist organizations camped illegally in Bhutan. The offenders included civil servants, businesspersons, and laborers.
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
has a low crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
rate. Incidents of petty crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
are occasionally reported in the country. Violent crime
Violent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
is very uncommon. Some cases of drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
are reported; alcohol
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
abuse is a problem. But in general, drug trafficking is low. The most serious threat to Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
's security is terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
by different terrorist groups from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
illegally camped in the nation.
Background
Serious crimes were very uncommon in Bhutan throughout most of the 20th century. There were reports of increased criminal activity since the 1980s and early 1990s. The main causes of the rise in crime are the influx of foreign laborers, widening economic disparities, and more contact with foreign cultures.In June 1999, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
was introduced in the country and Bhutan became the last nation in the world to have television. The introduction of television is often regarded as incompatible with Bhutanese culture and a cause behind the increase in crime. An editorial in Kuensel
Kuensel
Kuensel is the national newspaper of Bhutan. It was the only local newspaper available in Bhutan until 2006 when two more newspapers were launched. The government of Bhutan owns 51 percent of Kuensel while 49 percent is held by the public.-History:...
, the national newspaper of Bhutan, suggested:
A study conducted by some Bhutanese academics found that cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
has caused strong desire for western products among the people of the country and resulted in the increase in crime rate.
Non-political crime
Violent crimeViolent crime
A violent crime or crime of violence is a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon the victim. This entails both crimes in which the violent act is the objective, such as murder, as well as crimes in which violence is the means to an end, such as robbery. Violent...
is extremely low in Bhutan. Levels of theft
Theft
In common usage, theft is the illegal taking of another person's property without that person's permission or consent. The word is also used as an informal shorthand term for some crimes against property, such as burglary, embezzlement, larceny, looting, robbery, shoplifting and fraud...
are low. Petty crime like pickpocketing
Pickpocketing
Pickpocketing is a form of larceny that involves the stealing of money or other valuables from the person of a victim without their noticing the theft at the time. It requires considerable dexterity and a knack for misdirection...
are occasionally reported in the country. Juvenile crime has relatively increased; the highest rate of juvenile crime was reported in 2003, and 63 youths were convicted across the nation. Rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
is not an extensive problem; in 1999 only 10 incidents of rape were reported in Bhutan. Homicide rate is low. In 1998, homicide rate per 100,000 citizens was 2.78. Bhutan is a source and transit country for human trafficking
Human trafficking
Human trafficking is the illegal trade of human beings for the purposes of reproductive slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, forced labor, or a modern-day form of slavery...
. Women are trafficked from Bhutan to other countries for commercial sexual exploitation. But Bhutan is not a destination country; women from other nations are not trafficked into Bhutan.
In April 2002, Bhutan suffered a wave of crime. Although there were some reports of fraud
Fraud
In criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
, violence and few cases of homicide
Homicide
Homicide refers to the act of a human killing another human. Murder, for example, is a type of homicide. It can also describe a person who has committed such an act, though this use is rare in modern English...
from many towns and villages, Bhutan never experienced serious violation of law before it. The first case of corruption in Bhutan was reported on April 5, 2002, when Parop Tshering, a 42-year-old chief accountant of the State Trading Corporation, was charged with embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
. Four cases of white-collar crime
White-collar crime
Within the field of criminology, white-collar crime has been defined by Edwin Sutherland as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation" . Sutherland was a proponent of Symbolic Interactionism, and believed that criminal behavior was...
and violent crime were reported in April 2003.
In the Corruption Perceptions Index
Corruption Perceptions Index
Since 1995, Transparency International publishes the Corruption Perceptions Index annually ranking countries "by their perceived levels of corruption, as determined by expert assessments and opinion surveys." The CPI generally defines corruption as "the misuse of public power for private...
2007, Bhutan was ranked 46th out of 179 countries for corruption (least corrupt countries are at the top of the list). On a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 the most corrupt and 10 the most transparent, Transparency International
Transparency International
Transparency International is a non-governmental organization that monitors and publicizes corporate and political corruption in international development. It publishes an annual Corruption Perceptions Index, a comparative listing of corruption worldwide...
rated Bhutan 5.0.
Drug-related crime
Slight drug abuse has appeared in the country. Free trade with neighboring IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, presence of porous borders and the refugee population make Bhutan vulnerable to drug trafficking. Bhutan has proximity to certain areas in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and North-East India
North-East India
Northeast India refers to the easternmost region of India consisting of the contiguous Seven Sister States, Sikkim, and parts of North Bengal...
where intravenous drug use is relatively high. Due to such geographical location, Bhutan also becomes vulnerable to an increase in intravenous drug use. Marijuana, which grows as a shrub in Bhutan, was only used to feed pigs before the introduction of television. But hundreds were arrested in recent years for using marijuana. Use of amphetamines and benzodiazepines smuggled from India is rising in Thimpu and in the Southern Bhutan. However, drug trafficking and production of opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
, cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
and other drugs is not any significant problem in the country.
Alcohol consumption is the most serious addiction related problem in the nation. Alcohol abuse is reported in nearly 80% cases associated with domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
.
There are some characteristics of the situation on drug abuse in Bhutan.
- Most of the users of narcotic substances are male and students.
- Majority of the narcotic users are under the age of twenty-five.
- A growing portion of the youth population use multiple drugs.
- Some cases of intravenous drug use are reported in Bhutan, but it is minimal compared to other countries in the region.
- A social stigmaSocial stigmaSocial stigma is the severe disapproval of or discontent with a person on the grounds of characteristics that distinguish them from other members of a society.Almost all stigma is based on a person differing from social or cultural norms...
is attached to addictionSubstance dependenceThe section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
in the country. Because of this, the full nature of the situation becomes difficult to know.
The Government of Bhutan has taken several measures to counter these problems. Bhutan is a party of the United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
The United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 is one of three major drug control treaties currently in force. It provides additional legal mechanisms for enforcing the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the 1971 Convention on...
(1988). Many laws have been enacted which include the Civil and Criminal Procedure Code (2000), the Sales Tax, Customs and Excise Act (2000), the Medicines Act (2003), the Penal Code of Bhutan (2004), and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances and Substance Abuse Act (2005). In 2004, selling of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
products to Bhutanese citizens was outlawed in the country and thus Bhutan became the first nation in the world to ban tobacco sales. Severe punishment was introduced for selling of tobacco. A fine of $210 was imposed for the culprits and cancellation of business licenses for owners of shops and hotels illegally selling tobacco. Karma Tshering of the Bhutanese Customs said, "If any foreigner is caught selling tobacco products to Bhutanese nationals, he will be charged with smuggling. Tobacco will be treated as contraband." However a black market in tobacco has flourished in the country.
Terrorism
Many insurgent groups from IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
have set up training camps in the southern part of the country. The United Liberation Front of Asom
United Liberation Front of Asom
The United Liberation Front of Asom is a separatist group from Assam, among many other such groups in North-East India. It seeks to establish a sovereign Assam via an armed struggle in the Assam Conflict...
(ULFA), the National Democratic Front of Bodoland
National Democratic Front of Bodoland
The National Democratic Front of Bodoland, also known as NDFB or the Bodo Security Force, is a terrorist outfit which seeks to obtain a sovereign Bodoland for the Bodo people in Assam, India. The founder of the organization, Ransaigra Nabla Daimary, alias Ranjan Daimary has been arrested and...
(NDFB) and the Bodo Liberation Tigers Force
Bodo Liberation Tigers Force
Bodo Liberation Tigers Force , also called Bodo Liberation Tigers , was an armed group operating in the Bodo dominated regions of Assam which demanded a separate state for the Bodos to be carved out of Assam...
(BLTF) had bases in Bhutan in 2002. Terrorists were involved in murders, extortion and kidnappings. Under increasing pressure from the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
, Bhutan issued a ultimatum to the terrorists for leaving the country by December 2001, and in December 2003, the Royal Bhutan Army
Royal Bhutan Army
The Royal Bhutan Army , or RBA, is a branch of the armed forces of the Kingdom of Bhutan responsible for maintaining the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty against security threats. The King of Bhutan is the Supreme Commander in Chief of the RBA...
,
aided by the Special Frontier Force
Special Frontier Force
The Special Frontier Force is a paramilitary unit of India. It was conceived in the post Sino-Indian war period as a guerrilla force composed mainly of Tibetan refugees whose main goal was to conduct covert operations behind Chinese lines in case of another war between the People's Republic of...
, launched a military campaign. Many terrorist camps were destroyed in the operation. It is suspected that terrorists are trying to make retaliatory attacks against Bhutan. On September 5, 2004, a bomb exploded in Gelephu
Gelephu
Gelephu is a town in Sarpang District in Bhutan. It is located on the Indian border, about 30 km to the east of Sarpang, the Dzongkhag headquarters , and has a population of 9,199 as per 2005 census.Gelephu was selected as a site for Bhutan's second international airport project, but it was...
killing two people and injuring twenty seven. The NDFB was suspected behind the attack.
The Government of Bhutan has taken several legal and military actions for combating terrorism. On September 4, 2004, one hundred and eleven people received various sentences ranging from four years to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
for helping terrorist organizations camped illegally in Bhutan. The offenders included civil servants, businesspersons, and laborers.