Cambodia's war on drugs violates human rights, says Amnesty

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In Cambodia, the campaign against drugs leads to human rights violations. This is demonstrated by an Amnesty International report released on May 13. The NGO looked into the human cost of this campaign launched in Cambodia in January 2017 following a visit by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

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From our correspondent in Phnom Penh ,  Juliette Buchez 

Launched for six months in January 2017, the campaign against drugs has finally been systematically renewed since. And if it has not led to extrajudicial executions like those widely denounced in the Philippines, the organization pinpoints the abuses and failings of this campaign. In just over 3 years, it has led to the arrest of 55,770 people in Cambodia. Mostly individuals from disadvantaged or marginalized backgrounds. In its report , Amnesty reports on human rights violations in the context of this campaign.

People interviewed by the NGO described arbitrary arrests, more or less forced confessions, insufficient access to justice or care, or conditions of detention that sometimes amounted to torture.

The report also shows that the fight against drugs has fueled the problem of overcrowding in prisons. In Cambodia, the prison population has increased by 78% since the start of the campaign. Thousands more are being placed in rehabilitation centers where conditions of detention are similar to, if not worse than, those in prisons.

The report describes the absence of a treatment strategy for addiction or the absence of trained personnel. The organization nevertheless notes the development of some encouraging care programs. Amnesty concludes that the war on drugs in Cambodia is proving ineffective in reducing dependence. She therefore advocates a complete reform of the campaign by including real care and rehabilitation strategies.

►a read: the report ' Amnesty International

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• Cambodia
• Drug
• Human rights