Death Penalty for Drug Offences: Global Overview 2020

Harm Reduction International has monitored the use of the death penalty for drug offences worldwide since our first ground-breaking publication on this issue in 2007. This report, our tenth on the subject, continues our work of providing regular updates on legislative, policy and practical developments related to the use of capital punishment for drug offences, a practice which is a clear violation of international law.

The Global Overview 2020 provides an analysis of key developments related to the death penalty for drug offences in 2020, their potential medium- term and long-term consequences, and the influence of COVID-19 on these changes. It will also examine the impact of measures introduced in response to COVID-19 on the right to a fair trial. A special section at the end of the report provides a review of best practices identified by lawyers for advocating against the death penalty at the national level.