Échec imminent de la politique brésilienne en matière de drogue
La Chambre des Députés a approuvé le projet de loi 7663/10 qui prévoit le traitement forcé des usagers de drogues. Pour en savoir plus, en anglais, veuillez lire les informations ci-dessous.
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By Luciana Boiteux
The Brazilian House of Representatives just approved the Bill 7663/10 proposed by Representative Osmar Terra and reported by Representative Givaldo Carimbão. We foresee with alarm a risk of imminent setback in the Brazilian Drug Policy because of the Bill 7663/10.
Among several misconceptions, the project determines the compulsory drug treatment of people who use drug. As noted by the Special Rapporteur of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatments, the compulsory detention of drug users for treatment constitutes torture. Twelve UN Agencies signed a collective statement against forced drug treatment and this was ignored by the house of representatives in Brasil.
The bill also attempt to re-criminalize users and increase penalties related to drug trafficking is a disaster in the opposite direction of what occurs in several countries of America and Europe, contributing to further increase the super-incarceration and the criminalization of poverty. This occurred in the same month in which the OAS (Organization of American States) did its first clear statement that it is time to change the policy of “war on drugs” due to its failure.
The bill also approved the use of public financial resources to support non evidence based drug treatment in the so-called therapeutic communities. This is a important step back in a country that has one the few well succeeded public, evidence based and free of charge widely available drug treatment structures in the world, so called CAPS AD (Center for Psycho-Social Support on Alcohol and Drugs).
Approved in the end of May of 2013, this bill now goes to the Senate (Up Chamber) and finally to the agreement and approval of President Dilma.
Given the political trajectory, commitment to human rights and personal experience in relation to torture of President Dilma Rousseff, it is unacceptable that the Federal Government should support compulsory treatment. We believe that the application of this measure in Brazil today signals a return to segregation policies based on class and ethnicity. Besides makes Brazil one of the most retrograde countries in Latin America on Drug Policy, loosing its historical position of leadership of humanitarian drug policies in the region during the previous 12 years (Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Luis Inacio Lula da Silva Governments).
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