The report focuses on certain forms of abuses in health-care settings that may be considered as torture or other form of ill-treatment, including involuntary treatment of drug addicts in so-called rehabilitation centers accompanied by diverse interventions, such as painful withdrawal from drug dependence without medical assistance, administration of unknown or experiment medications, state-sanctioned beatings, forced labour, sexual abuse and intentional humiliation.
The report also addressed the issue of marginalization and stigmatization of drug addicts within the population resulting in restriction and deprivation of various human rights, such as medical treatment, parental rights, privacy, etc, and the effects of the drug control regime on the right to access to pain relief medication in the world.
Citation: Juan Mendez, 'Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment' (2013) A/HRC/22/53