News and Events

The National Human Rights Commission has expressed concern over flagrant violations of the rights of drug users especially by owners of private rehabilitation or treatment centers.

The Commission observed with disdain the cruel inhuman and degrading treatment meted on drug users in the name of "treatment" or "rehabilitation" at treatment or rehabilitation centers owned by private individuals and some law enforcement agents.

Regrettably during such periods of treatment, the victims are chained and flogged, some are starved and denied medical attention, some beaten and subjected to forced labour etc.

As a way of addressing this concern, the Executive Secretary of the Commission Tony Ojukwu Esq. will be speaking as a Panelist at the 47th Session of the UN Human Rights Council on the topic " Strengthening the Role of the UN Human Rights System in Drug Policies: The Case of Arbitrary Detention.

The objective of this event is to discuss the implementation of the recommendations included in the Study on arbitrary detention relating to drug policies, which has just been released by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD).

The Swiss Ambassador in Geneva Elina Steinerte, will give the introductory remark. Other speakers at the event include:

The Chair-Rapporteur, UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

Yatie Jonet, Community Representative, Malaysia

Ambika Satkunanathan, Fellow, Open Society Foundations, Sri Lanka

Claudia Cardona, CorporaciĆ³n Humanas & Mujeres Libres, etc.

The event is one of the high level side events and will be held virtually on Friday, July 2nd 2021 at 12:30 pm.

pattern