Akademik

n.

A theft of food or medicine motivated by extreme poverty.

— famine-theft adj.

Venezuela's Supreme Court is considering allowing "famine thefts". Anyone suffering prolonged poverty will be able to steal food, medicine or inexpensive goods, without punishment.

— David Randall, "Storyville: A poor excuse for crime," Independent on Sunday (London, England), January 25, 2004

Venezuela is considering decriminalizing the theft of food and medicine in cases where a thief is motivated by extreme hunger or need.

A Supreme Court justice has proposed the "famine theft clause," which would have to pass through the court and the National Assembly to become law.

— "Briefly," Newsday, January 18, 2004

Venezuela, where more than two-thirds of 25 million people are poor despite the nation's huge oil wealth, is considering decriminalizing the theft of food and medicine in cases where a thief is motivated by extreme hunger or need. Supreme Court Judge Alejandro Angulo Fontiveros on Wednesday proposed a so-called "famine-theft" clause as part of a broad penal-code reform measure. Those who take food, medicine or inexpensive goods without using violence to ease hunger caused by prolonged, extreme poverty would not be punished.

— "Et cetera," The Seattle Times, January 16, 2004