Violence, policing & punishment

News6 March 2025

Human rights, harm reduction and drug policy: Redoubling efforts reform and funding efforts - IDPC statement at the 57th session of the Human Rights Council

IDPC calls on governments to end drug-related human rights abuses, invest in harm reduction, and align drug policies with human rights and protect the HIV response.

Publications28 February 2025

Addressing the intersection of poverty, child protection, and drug policy in EECA - Contribution to the upcoming report of the UN SR on extreme poverty

EHRA highlights the harm repressive drug policies cause to children and families and urges reforms to ensure protections.

Publications28 February 2025

Annual report on the death penalty in Iran 2024

IHRNGO and ECPM notes a significant increase in drug-related executions, disproportionately impacting marginalised communities, and calls on the UN and wider international community to act.

Publications12 February 2025

Human Rights Watch: World Report 2025

HRW denounces human rights violations, including in relation to drug policy ranging from punitive laws to extrajudicial executions, and demands truth and justice.

News10 February 2025

In Sri Lanka, the army is engaging in a new war on drugs

Militarised compulsory drug detention centres blur the line between treatment and torture, in detriment of much-needed health-based approaches.

Events

International Drug Policy Reform Conference 2025

Detroit, United States

12 November 2025 - 15 November 2025

The Reform Conference convenes the growing and dynamic drug policy reform movement.

Publications15 January 2025

Tackling intersectional stigma in healthcare access for marginalized communities in CEECA

SWAN examines the social justice impact of intersecting identities and provides recommendations for improving services, rights-based programs, and advocacy.

News19 December 2024

Bolivia: Despite progress, tackling overcrowding in prisons remains pressing

The delegation of the UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture noted how private drug treatment facilities are not subject to adequate control and supervision, fueling violence and injustice against people who use drugs.

Publications11 December 2024

A world of harm: how U.S. taxpayers fund the global war on drugs over evidence-based health responses

DPA and HRI condemn the US' multibillion-dollar contribution to punitive responses, urging greater transparency and a commitment to a rights-based approach.

Publications11 December 2024

Beyond punishment: from criminal justice responses to drug policy reform

The Global Commission on Drug Policy exposes prohibitionist policies' role in fueling inequities and offers a roadmap for reform including harm reduction measures, decriminalsiation, and the legal regulation of drug markets,

Publications17 October 2024

Know your rights: On drug laws for African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) people who use drugs

The HIV Legal Network provides answers about Canadian drug laws and the criminal justice system to help ACB communities facing systemic discrimination better understand their legal rights.

News2 October 2024

Canada: 17 organisations condemn forced detention plans in BC

A comprehensive response should include community-based and voluntary programmes, and solutions to the housing, toxic drug supply, and poverty crises.

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