Drug intelligence based on MDMA tablets data: 2. Physical characteristics profiling

One of the tasks of the European project entitled “Collaborative Harmonisation of Methods for Profiling of Amphetamine Type Stimulants” (CHAMP) funded by the sixth framework programme of the European Commission was to develop a harmonised methodology for MDMA profiling and the creation of a common database in a drug intelligence perspective. Part I was dedicated to the analysis of organic impurities formed during synthesis in order to investigate traffic tendencies and highlight potential links between samples, whereas this part focuses on physical characteristics of the MDMA tablets. Diameter, thickness, weight and score were demonstrated to be reliable and relevant features in this drug intelligence perspective. Distributions of samples coming from the same post-tabletting batch (post-TB) and samples coming from different post-TB were very well discriminated by using the squared Euclidean or the Manhattan distance on standardised data. Our findings demonstrated the possibility to discriminate between MDMA samples issued from different post-TB and to find out links between samples coming from a same post-TB. Furthermore, the hypothesis that most of the MDMA samples found on the international market come from the same countries was supported.     

Do Russia and China promote autocracy in Central Asia?

The purpose of our paper is to contribute to the literature on autocracy promotion by analyzing Central Asia as the most-likely case, considering both Russia and China as relevant external actors. We develop a concept for our analysis based on the different strategies of Russia and China towards the region and present the results of a qualitative study of the main dimensions of autocracy promotion (regional organizations, economic cooperation, and interference and threat). Based on this qualitative study, we define variables measuring the potential for autocracy promotion and test our hypotheses using panel data for 24 post-communist countries. The somewhat surprising result of our analysis is that, in contrast to Russia's dominance mode of operation, China's doing-business approach towards its neighbors in Central Asia may have—although unintentionally—even positive effects in terms of improving governance and undermining autocratic structures.     

Selection bias in human rights tribunals: an exploratory study

Abstract: Quasi-judicial tribunals are bound by the principle of natural justice, including the obligation to avoid bias or the apprehension of bias in the selection of adjudicators, as was affirmed for human rights commissions in the McBain case. This paper statistically analyses all decisions rendered by Canadian human rights tribunals, both federal and provincial, in the years 1956 to 1984. The main conclusion is that there is a tendency toward the reappointment of adjudicators whose decisions are favourable to complainants. This calls into question the neutrality of the appointment procedures used in these years, namely appointment by a minister or by a human rights commission. The system recently adopted by the Canadian Human Rights Commission, involving appointment by the chairman of a panel of adjudicators, is proposed as a model worthy of imitation to the extent that it minimizes the apprehension of bias. Sommaire: Les tribunaux quasi-judiciaires sont tenus d'appliquer le principe de la justice naturelle, y compris l'obligation d'éviter de soulever une crainte raisonnable de partialité lors du choix des arbitres, comme l'arrêt McBain l'a affirmé en ce qui concerne les commissions des droits de la personne. Cet article comporte une analyse statistique de toutes les décisions prises par les tribunaux canadiens des droits de la personne, tant provinciaux que fédéraux entre 1956 et 1984. Il conclut qu'on a eu tendance à renouveler le mandat des arbitres dont les décisions étaient favorables aux plaignants. Cette conclusion interpelle la neutralité du système de nomination en vigueur durant cette période, en particulier lorsque c'était un ministre ou une commission des droits de la personne qui nommait les arbitres. Le système, récemment adopté par la Commission canadienne des droits de la personne, en vertu duquel c'est le président d'un tribunal d'arbitres qui noninie chaque comité d'arbitre, est proposé comme modèle digne d'être imité dam la mesure où il réduit la crainte raisonnable de partialité.