THE DEATH PENALTY FOR DRUGS IS A VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW; EFFICACY-WHETHER REAL OR IMAGINED-PROVIDES NO EXCUSE

摘要

On behalf of the International Harm Reduction Association (IHRA), I welcome the editorial published in Addiction calling for the abolition of the death penalty for drug offences. The IHRA has been campaigning on this issue at the United Nations (UN) level since 2007, when we published our report The Death Penalty for Drug Offences: A Violation of International Human Rights Law, which is referenced in your Editorial. We are pleased to add Addiction to the growing list of voices calling for an end to executions for drugs world-wide. While the Editorial rightly refutes claims that the death penalty is an effective deterrent, it must be emphasized that even if capital punishment for drugs were found to reduce drug-related offences, such executions would still be illegal under international law.