Criminal justice

Publications1 January 1970

'Disrupt and vilify': The war on immigrants inside the US war on drugs

The Drug Policy Alliance and Human Rights Watch presents recommendations on immigration and drug laws that disproportionately affect migrants

News12 April 2026

Philippines: ICC hearing gives survivors of Duterte’s 'drug war' hope

A recent ICC hearing offered a rare moment of hope in the pursuit of accountability for the deadly campaign.

Events

Half-day of reflection and discussion on forced treatments in Canada

Ottawa, Canada

14 May 2026 - 15 May 2026

On May 14, 2026, experts and advocates will come together in Ottawa to discuss the current issues and debates around forced psychiatric and addiction treatment in Canada.

Publications31 March 2026

Saudi Arabia’s drug-related executions violate international law — Opinion No. 71/2025 by the by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

UN experts say that Saudi Arabia’s use of the death penalty for drug offences violates international law, highlighting serious due process violations and discriminatory impacts on foreign nationals.

Publications31 March 2026

INCB Annual Report 2025

The INCB examines mounting pressures on the global drug control system, from synthetic drugs and access to medicines to increasing fragmentation within the Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

News2 March 2026

‘Worrying’ war on drugs rhetoric comes with human, financial costs

The renewed 'war on drugs” narrative is driving repression and rights abuses, despite clear evidence that punitive policies have failed.

News2 March 2026

Crime rates declined over time near Toronto supervised drug consumption sites, study suggests

A new McGill University study finds that Toronto’s supervised drug consumption sites were not linked to rising crime — and in most cases, crime declined over time.

Publications16 February 2026

Confiscations, public health obstructions, and perpetual displacement: Experiences and perspectives on urban law enforcement practices during a period of 'recriminalization' among people who use criminalized drugs

Singh Kelsall et al. find that harmful policing practices persisted during British Columbia’s decriminalisation pilot and subsequent recriminalisation, including confiscations, displacement and interference with overdose response.

News12 February 2026

South Africa: Crime, cartels and corruption — The drug policy debate we refuse to have

Punitive drug laws are fuelling corruption, strengthening illicit markets and misdirecting police resources, while failing to improve community safety.

News12 February 2026

Maldives reintroduces death penalty for drug trafficking amid conservative push before council polls

President Muizzu’s raft of socially conservative measures illustrates how criminal law reforms are used for electoral gain.

News12 February 2026

Why Europe should avoid the trap of repressive drug policy

The European Commission’s proposed 2026–2030 EU Drugs Strategy shifts emphasis toward enforcement and border control, prompting calls to prioritise harm reduction, housing, community-based care and rights-based approaches.

Blog20 January 2026

What to expect from 2026: Defending drug policy reform through dark times

As drug policy reform faces renewed repression and securitisation worldwide, 2026 will test whether evidence, human rights and community leadership can still reshape a system under strain — and where the next openings for change may emerge.

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