Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, Vice Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, participated in the 141st session of the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), held between October 28 and November 15, 2024.
“Measures adopted to advance drug control that contravene universally recognized human rights norms constitute a violation of international drug control conventions,” said Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy.
The Board also stated that “it is essential to ensure patients' access to controlled medicines in emergency situations, whether arising from natural disasters or armed conflicts.”
The 2024 Annual Report will be published in March 2025, along with the INCB 2024 Precursors Report.
Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy, Vice Rector of Üsküdar Üniversitesi, participated in the 141st session of the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), held between October 28 and November 15, 2024, of which she has been a member since 2005 and was elected for the third time by the Economic and Social Council.
During the meeting, the Board consulted with member states on the human rights dimensions of drug control. Emphasizing that respect for human rights and the implementation of drug control conventions are mutually reinforcing, Prof. Dr. Sevil Atasoy reiterated INCB's calls for human rights to be respected in the development and implementation of drug control policy.
Provided information on obligations arising from human rights instruments
Continuing her remarks by stating, “Measures adopted to advance drug control that contravene universally recognized human rights norms constitute a violation of international drug control conventions,” Prof. Dr. Atasoy informed Board members about obligations arising from human rights instruments, including the right to health, the promotion of equality and non-discrimination against drug users, the prohibition of arbitrary arrest and detention, the right to a fair trial in drug-related offenses, and protection against all cruel and inhuman punishments.
Prof. Dr. Atasoy had the opportunity to share her views by participating in a consultation meeting with 51 representatives from the Permanent Mission of the United Nations in Vienna and one Permanent Observer Board member.
International cooperation agreements
During the 141st Session, the Board also held consultations with Philbert Abaka Johnson, Chair of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), Ms. Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the World Health Organization, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
On the margins of the session, the Board signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC). This cooperation agreement provides for the exchange of research, data, and analysis on availability and the dissemination of information to the international community.
INCB and IAHPC share common goals in providing guidance and support to governments and the international community on issues related to the availability of controlled substances for medical and scientific purposes.
The Board is committed to continued cooperation with governments, international and regional organizations, and civil society to advance the health and welfare objectives of the drug control conventions, including promoting the availability of internationally controlled medicines. This also encompasses humanitarian emergencies, whether arising from natural disasters or armed conflicts, where patients' access to controlled medicines must be ensured.
2024 report to be published in March 2025
During the session, which concluded on November 15, the 2024 Annual Report, which includes a thematic chapter on responses to the rapid increase in the production, marketing, and consumption of synthetic drugs, was also finalized. The Report will be published in March 2025, along with the INCB 2024 Precursors Report.
INCB's mission and structure…
Furthermore, the INCB is an independent, quasi-judicial body tasked with promoting and monitoring governments' compliance with the three international drug control conventions: the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, and the Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988. The thirteen members of the Board, established by the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, are elected by the Economic and Social Council for five-year terms in their personal capacity and do not represent their countries.