Briefings and submissions
Report to the UN Secretary-General on moratorium on the use of the death penalty
14 April 2020
HRI submission to the UN Secretary General on crucial issues and developments concerning the use of the death penalty. HRI urges the Secretary-General to continue prioritising this issue and reaffirms the call for a moratorium on the death penalty, as a step towards its definitive abolition worldwide. Read more
Report to the UN Secretary-General on the Death Penalty
03 April 2020
Harm Reduction International calls for the UN Secretary-General to continue prioritising the death penalty and reaffirm the call for a moratorium on the death penalty, as a step towards its definitive abolition worldwide. Read more
Submissions to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
03 April 2020
Harm Reduction International and partners made submissions to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to support its study on arbitrary detention relating to drug policies, pursuant to Human Rights Council Resolution 42/22, specifically: - together with LBH Masyarakat and the Institute of Criminal Justice Reform, a submission on arbitrary… Read more
Islamic Republic of Iran - Joint stakeholder submission to the Working Group for The Universal Periodic Review Third cycle 34th Session – November 2019
28 March 2020
The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights in Iran (ABC) and Harm Reduction International (HRI) welcome the opportunity of reporting to the Working Group for the Universal Periodic Review on the implementation of some key recommendations accepted by Iran in 2014, during its second Cycle of Universal Periodic Review (UPR). This submission… Read more
Harm Reduction International statements on drug policy and human rights to the 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council
03 February 2020
Ahead of the 43rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (24 February – 20 March 2020), Harm Reduction International submitted two statements providing updated information and analysis of human rights violations committed in the context of drug control around the world, focusing on: Violations of human rights in Iran (the death… Read more
Submission to the Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women - South Africa
20 January 2020
HRI welcomes the opportunity to submit information to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) ahead of its review of the periodic report of South Africa and the adoption of the List of Issues Prior to Reporting at its 77th Session (2-6 March 2020). This submission considers the rights of women who use drugs, by… Read more
Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee ahead of the fifth periodic review of the Philippines (adoption of List of Issues)
13 January 2020
This submission will assess the impact of the Philippines’ drug policy on the enjoyment of civil and political rights, with a focus on developments since the intensification of the anti-drug campaign in July 2016; and provide suggestions for issues to be raised with the government of the Philippines. Read more
Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee ahead of the eighth periodic review of the United Kingdom of Northern Ireland and Great Britain
04 January 2020
Release and Harm Reduction International welcome the opportunity to submit information to the Human Rights Committee ahead of its adoption of the List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR) for the review of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the “United Kingdom”). This submission will provide a brief overview and… Read more
Submission to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – Italy
06 December 2019
Forum Droghe, LILA, La Società della Ragione, ITANPUD and Harm Reduction International (HRI) welcome the opportunity to submit information to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) ahead of its review of the periodic report of Italy and the adoption of the List of Issues Prior to Reporting at its 66th session (9th-13th… Read more
Written comments on the draft Guidelines on the right to adequate housing
26 November 2019
Written comments for the Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing on the draft Guidelines for the implementation of the right to adequate housing. Read more
Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee ahead of Mexico’s sixth periodic review
16 September 2019
MUCD, Equis and HRI welcome the opportunity to report to the Human Rights Committee ahead of its sixth periodic review of Mexico, at its 127th session. This briefing provides information on Mexico’s compliance with its human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), with a focus on the country’s… Read more
Report to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime on the “Tenth survey on capital punishment and on the implementation of the safeguards guaranteeing protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, covering the period 2014-2018"
13 September 2019
Harm Reduction International welcomes the opportunity to comment on crucial issues and developments concerning the use of the death penalty, and urges UNODC to prioritise this issue. We further reaffirm the call for a moratorium on the death penalty, as a step towards its definitive abolition worldwide. This submission will provide information… Read more
Submission to the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights - Switzerland
06 September 2019
HRI and the Geneva Platform welcome the opportunity to submit information to the Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights ahead of its review of the periodic report of Switzerland, at its 66th Session. This submission will address the right to health (para. 27, List of issues) with a focus on people who use drugs in Switzerland,… Read more
Submission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee ahead of Ukraine’s eighth periodic review
30 August 2019
Harm Reduction International and the Alliance for Public Health welcome the opportunity to submit information on the ongoing violations of Article 6 (the right to life) and Article 7 (the right to be free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), against people who… Read more
Submission to the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - 12 Pre-Sessional Working Group (23 Sep 2019 - 27 Sep 2019) - Singapore
26 July 2019
HRI welcomes the opportunity to call the Committee’s attention to the use of death penalty for people with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities in Singapore, in violation of article 10 (right to life) and article 13 (access to justice) of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). Read more
Joint Submission to the Working Group for the Universal Periodic Review – Third cycle 35th Session – January/February 2020 - Kuwait
18 July 2019
HRI and UIA welcome the opportunity to report to the Working Group for the Universal Periodic Review on drug laws and policies in Kuwait and their impact on the enjoyment of human rights. In particular, this report will examine the right to health of people who use drugs, the death penalty for drug offences, the use of coerced confessions and due… Read more
Joint Submission to the Working Group for the Universal Periodic Review – Third cycle 35th Session – January/February 2020 - Lao People’s Democratic Republic
18 July 2019
HRI, IDPC and ANPUD welcome the opportunity to report to the Working Group for the Universal Periodic Review on drug laws and policies in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (hereinafter Lao) and their impact on the enjoyment of human rights. In particular, this report will examine the right to health of people who use drugs, the death penalty for… Read more
Joint submission to the Committee Against Torture on Bangladesh
24 June 2019
Harm Reduction International and the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty submitted evidence to the Committee Against Torture for its 67th session to consider Bangladesh's compliance with the Convention Against Torture. The submission highlights Bangladesh's human rights violations committed in the name of drug control, which are relevant… Read more
Joint submission to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights ahead of Malaysia visit
19 June 2019
Harm Reduction International - with Release and the Anti Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) - submitted evidence to the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights regarding major human rights violations of the poor committed by the Malaysian authorities in the context of drug control. This includes evidence on the death penalty… Read more
Harm Reduction International statements on drug policy and human rights to the 41st session of the UN Human Rights Council
04 June 2019
Ahead of the 41st Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (24 June - 12 July 2019), Harm Reduction International submitted four statements providing updated information and analysis of human rights violations committed in the context of drug control around the world The statements are co-signed by several civil society organisations… Read more
Harm Reduction International submission to OHCHR on forms of violence on death row
18 April 2019
Individuals on death row retain their fundamental rights, and must be granted the same protection and conditions as the general prison population. Despite this, individuals on death row are at a heightened risk of physical and psychological violence. This includes: torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment; sexual violence; severe… Read more
Joint submission to OHCHR on human rights in the administration of justice, in particular on violence, death and serious injury in situations of deprivation of liberty
18 April 2019
The criminalisation of drug use and drug possession for personal use, in the context of repressive drug policies, leads to the arbitrary detention of people who use drugs, and to forced detention and treatment. There are credible and systematic reports of violence and human rights violations committed in criminal and administrative detention… Read more
Harm Reduction International submission to UN Universal Periodic Review - Egypt
28 March 2019
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process of peer review of the human rights performance of States. The overall human rights situation of each of United Nations's 193 members is assessed every five years, under the auspices of the Human Rights Council. This review includes information received from civil society. This submission… Read more
Harm Reduction International submission to the UN Secretary General on the question of the death penalty
28 March 2019
This submission is made to the United Nations Secretary-General on the question of the death penalty pursuant to resolution 36/17 , adopted by the Human Rights Council in September 2017. Harm Reduction International urges the Secretary-General to continue prioritising the death penalty, and reaffirms the call for a moratorium on the death… Read more
Harm Reduction Group Submission to the UK the Health and Social Care Committee Inquiry on Drugs Policy
18 March 2019
This response to the United Kingdom's Health and Social Care Committee Inquiry on Drugs , looks at the shortfalls of the UK government's current approach to harm reduction, drug treatment and drug policy. The submission was made by the Harm Reduction Group, which is comprised of Release, Harm Reduction International, DrugScience, SMMGP, the… Read more