Death penalty

Publications13 April 2026

The death penalty for drug offences: Global overview 2025

HRI reports a sharp rise in executions for drug offences in 2025, exposing the continued reliance on punitive drug policies and their devastating human rights impacts.

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.

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.

News15 January 2026

Maldives: Parliament approves death penalty for major drug trafficking cases

Maldives’ parliament has unanimously approved a landmark amendment allowing the death penalty for major drug trafficking cases.

News20 October 2025

60th session of UN Human Rights Council: Joint statement on death penalty and drug policy

IDPC joins global leaders to deliver a joint statement condemning the death penalty for drug-related offences, recognising recent reforms, and advocating for greater change.

News2 October 2025

ICC charges Rodrigo Duterte with crimes against humanity

The former Philippine president is accused of mass murder after implementing a violent anti-drug campaign that left at least 6,000 people dead.

News29 September 2025

Singapore: Cruel and unlawful drug-related execution of Malaysian man renews urgency for moratorium on executions

The execution after hours of uncertainty for the victim and his family has reignited international outrage and demands for a moratorium.

News9 September 2025

Maldives: Reject introduction of death penalty for drug trafficking and abolish this punishment once and for all

Nine human rights groups condemn the Maldives’ push to impose the death penalty for drug trafficking, warning it violates international law and defies global abolition trends.

Events

Drug policy reform: A powerful tool to prevent serious human rights violations

Geneva, Switzerland / Online

16 September 2025

The event will explore how drug policy reform can prevent serious human rights violations, broaden discussions beyond health, and highlight pathways toward decriminalisation, the abolition of the death penalty, and international cooperation.

News2 September 2025

60th Session of the Human Rights Council: Drug policy opportunities

The 60th Session is an opportunity to bring attention to the impact of drug control policies on human rights worldwide, with the death penalty, violations of international humanitarian law, forced disappearances, and discussions on arbitrary detention taking place.

News25 July 2025

59th Human Rights Council: drug policy highlights

HRI synthesizes discussions in the UN about topics such as poverty, discrimination against women and girls, health and arbitrary executions.

News26 June 2025

2025 World Drug Day: UNODC and CND must take urgent action to end unlawful use of the death penalty for drug-related offences

On 2025 World Drug Day and Support. Don’t Punish Global Day of Action, 70 organizations call upon the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) to condemn the use of the death penalty from drug related offences. In this joint statement, the signatories demand that human rights safeguards are implemented to uphold international law and standards.

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