Death penalty

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

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 Human Rights Council: Drug policy oppportunities - Harm Reduction International

The 60th Session of the Human Rights Council 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.

News19 May 2025

58th Human Rights Council: Drug policy highlights

HRI underscores how debates on drug policy, the death penalty, and HIV, supported by civil society advocacy, stressed the centrality of human rights, harm reduction, and proportionality.

News7 April 2025

An effective and humane approach to drug policies

Human rights experts from the UN and civil society call for a shift from punitive drug policies to health- and rights-based approaches.

Publications7 April 2025

The death penalty for drug offences: Global overview 2024

HRI discusses a worrying increase in the use of the death penalty for drug offences, noting significant knowledge gaps and analysing progress in moving past it.

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.

News12 December 2024

End executions, embrace regional progress - IDPC joins 26 NGOs urging Singapore to abandon the death penalty

Executions for drug offences undermine human rights and regional cooperationon illegal drug trafficking.

News21 November 2024

Abolish mandatory sentencing and all extreme punitive responses - Joint statement to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

IDPC co-signs joint statement at the 57th session of the Human Rights Council urging sentencing reform for drug offences, including abolishing the death penalty and mandatory sentences.

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