Responding to the publication of a new report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health calling on governments to move away from punitive responses to drugs and to instead take an approach grounded on harm reduction and human rights ahead of World Drugs Day on 26 June, Erika Guevara-Rosas...

To mark “World Drugs Day” on 26 June as activists worldwide are joining together under the #SupportDontPunish campaign, Amnesty International is launching this new policy paper to contribute to the advancement of drug policies that better uphold human rights. Amnesty International is calling on...

Robust international action is urgently needed to halt a horrifying surge in executions that saw Iran’s prisons transformed into sites of mass killings in 2023, said Amnesty International. In a new research briefing published today the organization highlights that at least 481 executions – more...

Fears are mounting that thousands of people have been sentenced to death and are at risk of execution or are facing investigations or prosecution on capital drug-related offences, amid a horrific surge in executions in Iran. In 2023, at least 481 people were executed for drug-related offences –...

Amnesty International welcomes the report of the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights relating to drug control (A/HRC/54/53), which provides further account of the widespread human rights violations facilitated by punitive drug policies, and its recommendations to transform ineffective...

Amnesty International welcomes the opportunity to provide preliminary observations to the annotated outline circulated in the context of the upcoming General Comment on the impacts of drug policies on economic, social and cultural rights to be developed by the Committee on Economic, Social and...

In this joint statement, Amnesty International and other non-governmental organizations express their concern about the drastic intensification of anti-drug operations in Sri Lanka leading to significant human rights violations.

Amnesty International welcomes the opportunity to provide comments in response to a call for input by the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to the highest standard of physical and mental health in preparation for the mandate’s upcoming report on “Drug policies and responses: a right to health...

The failure of the CND to condemn the use of the death penalty and include its abolition as a programmatic goal across all its work has weighed heavily against attempts to bring accountability for these human rights violations committed in the name of drug control. Pending full abolition,...

The use of the death penalty for drug-related offences is unlawful under international human rights law and standards. It frequently violates international safeguards and restrictions established to prevent the arbitrary deprivation of life. It disproportionately affects groups that are already...

Singapore’s use of the death penalty violates international law and standards. Drug-related offences do not meet the threshold of the “most serious crimes” involving intentional killing. Death sentences are also imposed as mandatory punishment and after proceedings that do not meet the highest...

On the occasion of the 2023 World Day Against the Death Penalty on 10 October, Amnesty International highlights the use of the death penalty for drug related offences, which is unlawful under international human rights law and standards and has been applied in a discriminatory manner. Despite this,...