Political Quotes

“I would like to explain a sense-of-the- Congress amendment which calls on the Government of Peru to respect the rights of prisoners to timely legal action. My amendment was adopted by the House as part of Chairman Gilman's en bloc amendment last week. The amendment contains strong language commending Peru for their efforts to control drugs and stating that anyone convicted for possession of drugs should face stiff penalties. A constituent of mine, Jennifer Davis, and her friend Krista Barnes, have been held in prison in Peru for more than 8 months without being formally charged with a crime, without a trial, and without being sentenced. They are being held under horrible conditions which are in violation of basic international standards for the treatment of prisoners. I have a very serious question about whether the United States should continue sending about $100 million in foreign aid to Peru every year when that country is denying American citizens protection of their basic human rights and holding them more than 8 months without a trial. Jennifer and Krista, who are only 20 years old, were arrested in Peru in September 1996 after being recruited by some Peruvians to carry cocaine. They deserve to be punished for this crime, and they know that. In fact, they immediately admitted their guilt and have gone out of their way to cooperate with the police. As a result, three Peruvians who put them up to this have been arrested.…”