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DAILY UPDATE
DAY FOUR
Wednesday 14 May 2008
This morning’s plenary and majors focus on
issues of criminal justice, human rights and
drugs. The
Daily Update
spoke to Rick
Lines, IHRA’s senior policy advisor, about
the effect the ‘war on drugs’ agenda is
having on human rights globally
Eight years into the 21st century there are still
more than 30 countries across the world that retain
the death penalty for drugs offences. But the death
penalty is only the most extreme example of how
human rights and criminal justice almost seem to
be incompatible when it comes to drugs.
‘One of the main problems – both at the
international level with the UN but also at the
domestic level – is the degree to which the
paradigm of drug enforcement is allowed to trump
human rights concerns,’ says senior policy advisor
at IHRA, Rick Lines. ‘In many ways that’s linked to
the “war on drugs” rhetoric that dehumanises
people who use drugs and paints them variously as
criminals, or socially deviant, or morally weak, but in
any case undeserving of human rights protection.’
It is because of this that there are instances
across the world where treatment of drug users
falls substantially below what could be expected
by other people convicted of criminal offences.
And one of the most insidious things about the
war on drugs rhetoric, he believes, is the way it
has led to the mainstream human rights
movement, in some cases, to almost look the
other way. ‘It’s a tactical concern that confusing
drug use issues with human rights issues will
weaken the arguments,’ he says. ‘Drug users
can be seen as unworthy victims that it is hard to
mobilise public opinion around.’
He is clear that this is not the case across the
entire sector, however. ‘Human Rights watch is a
notable exception – they have done stellar work
on drug policy issues and are the forefront of
documenting these issues,’ he says. And things
are beginning to improve, albeit slowly. ‘The UN
special rapporteur on the right to health, Paul
Hunt, is explicit that HIV prevention programmes
for injecting drug users are a legal requirement for
states under their obligation to provide the right
to health.’
So is he optimistic about the potential for
substantial change? ‘There is a growing aware-
ness,’ he says. ‘There is a movement being very
much led by a handful of NGOs, and the
increased international voice of drug activist
organisations is playing a role by giving voice to
those communities and being able to articulate
those experiences. The awareness at NGO level
and increasingly at government level is certainly
there, but it’s very early days in terms of actually
realising any kind of institutional policy or
legislative change.’
Human wrongs: the war on drugs
PROGRAMME
HIGHLIGHTS
WEDNESDAY 14 MAY
Film Festival
Today’s highlights include ‘Changing
the Needle’ from Vietnam (12:30),
‘Drugstore – Cocaine’ from Catalonia
(15:30), and ‘Damage Done: the Drug
War Odyssey’ (16:45).
Room 3: 12:30 – 17:30
IHRA AGM
An opportunity to meet the
Executive Committee and
discuss the organisation’s work.
Room 9: 13:00 – 14:00
MENAHRA Open Meeting
An open meeting to introduce
and discuss harm reduction in
the Middle East & North Africa.
Room 9: 14:00 – 16:00
INPUD AGM
An opportunity to discuss the
organisation’s work and for INPUD
members to elect the board.
Conference Party
A great opportunity to network,
meet new people, renew old
acquaintances, and unwind.
‘Razzmatazz’: 20.00 – 24:00
(See inside for further information)
THURSDAY 15 MAY
UNODC Keynote Address
Antonio Maria Costa will speak
about harm reduction and the work
of UNODC, and will answer
delegates’ questions.
Room 7: 09:00 – 09:55
Closing Session
Including a summary of the past
five days and the presentation of
the 2008 IHRA awards.
Room 7: 12:00 – 13:30