59th Human Rights Council: drug policy highlights

Between 16 June and 8 July 2025, the Human Rights Council held its 59th session. This briefing highlights key debates, decisions, and documents in which drug policy and its impact on human rights were analysed and addressed.

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The Special Rapporteur, Dr. Morris Tidball-Binz, presented his report on the rights of families of unlawful killings (A/HRC/59/54) to the Council, emphasising that these families are also victims with their own rights. The report underscores how situations such as deaths in custody and the death penalty can deepen families’ suffering, particularly due to restrictions to visitation rights or failure to notify families before executions. The report concludes that such suffering may amount to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment under international law, and urges States to better recognise and protect the rights of affected families. The Special Rapporteur also applauded joint efforts between Member States, UN agencies and mechanisms in implementing the Minnesota Protocol, which good examples lead to, among others, the establishment of the Philippines’ first National Forensic Institute, and the Malaysian government’s invitation to support the creation of a regional centre for training and cooperation in applying the Minnesota Protocol.