Thailand’s success at controlling the sexual spread of HIV could be undermined by an overly harsh policy on drugs, according to a report issued in advance of the International AIDS Conference which starts in the Thai capital, Bangkok, on July 11th.
Judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and other human rights abuses against drug users are highlighted in the report by Human Rights Watch. The report contains first hand accounts from the relatives of people killed during the “war” on drugs, as well as testimonies from individuals who were beaten, forced to make confessions, or arbitrarily arrested by the Thai police.
Police and judicial persecution of drug users is, Human Rights Watch says, forcing them into hiding and preventing them from accessing needle exchanges and HIV prevention services and information.
Thailand has been praised for its success at controlling the spread of HIV. In the late 1990s the country’s “100% condom” campaign is estimated to have prevented 200,000 HIV infections by providing condoms and HIV prevention information to sex workers, brothels and health clinics. Human Rights Watch is warning that these gains might be undermined or reversed by the harsh treatment of drug users.
”Thailand’s drug policy is tarnishing its reputation for HIV prevention,” said Jonathan Cohen of Human Rights Watch. “When it comes to preventing HIV among drug users, the country is a model of worst practice.”
A victory in the “war” on drugs was declared by the Thai prime minister in December 2003. However, Human Rights Watch has found that this victory involved many innocent casualties. Drug users were forced to participate in rehabilitation programmes in military style boot-camps, but surveys have shown that many of the individuals enrolled in drug treatment were not even users, but people who feared arrest or death if they did not participate.
Thailand’s drugs policy is described by Human Rights Watch as “a mockery of public health…drug users should be offered humane and voluntary treatment, not targeted death or arrest.”
HIV infection rates amongst Thailand’s injecting drug users has remained static at around 40% since the late 1980s. During this period infection rates in other risk groups have declined thanks to targeted prevention initiatives.
The Thai government opposes needle exchange programmes for drug users.
Further information
Not enough graves: Thailand’s war on drugs, HIV/AIDS and violations of human rights - Human Rights Watch report