Murder on the Land and the Sea II: Accountability for Extrajudicial Drug War Killings Is Only a Matter of Time

Side event for the 35th session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
online-only, 4 June 2026, 9:00-10:00am ET / 3:00-4:00pm CET / 9:00-10:00pm PHT
Watch the video recording at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmWvtqICIV8

Drugs are an issue which – like migration, social liberalization and economic tensions – has the capacity to shatter democratic and human rights norms. Perhaps no other extreme drug policy today does so more than extrajudicial killings (EJKs). As the former president of the Philippines awaits trial later this year, the death toll from US strikes on alleged “drug boats” has raced past 200, making state violence and accountability for it pressing issues in drug policy today.

“Murder on the Land and the Sea II” discussed identified episodes of drug war EJKs in the 21st century, their context and interrelationships, and the international legal exposure officials may face – in some cases are already facing – in states that perpetrate EJKs or facilitate them through intelligence and law enforcement cooperation.

Speakers:
John Ramming Chappell, Advisory, US Advocacy, Center for Civilians in Conflict
Dino Singson de Leon, Trustee, Human Rights and People Empowerment Center
Sarah Harrison, Nonresident Fellow, Conventional Defense Program, Stimson Center
Intro and Moderation: David Borden, Executive Director, StoptheDrugWar.org

Organized by DRCNet Foundation AKA StoptheDrugWar.org, with cosponsors Associazone Luca Coscioni, Drug Policy Alliance, Eumans, Forum Droghe, International Drug Law Advocacy & Resource Center, No Peace Without Justice, NoBox Transitions Philippines, Philippine Coalition for the International Criminal Court, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Veterans Action Council, Washington Office on Latin America

Please contact David Borden at +1 202-236-8620 or borden@drcnet.org for further information. Visit https://stopthedrugwar.org/ruleoflaw and https://stopthedrugwar.org/global to read about our international programs.