Krakow Confererence videos online

Courtesy of the HCLU Drug Reporter team, who recorded the footage from the 1st Connections Conference in Krakow, a number of the conference sessions - including the presentations, and the discussion, are now available on-line. The videos are available via the VIMEO website: http://www.vimeo.com/connectionsproject/

Sessions and presentations available so far are as follows:

 WELCOME SESSION, 25th of March:

http://www.vimeo.com/4428889 - Welcome by Alex Stevens

http://www.vimeo.com/4429466 - Welcome by Krzysztof Trela (in Polish)

http://www.vimeo.com/4429618 - Welcome by Teresa Wilamowska (in Polish)

OPENING SESSION, 25th of March:

http://www.vimeo.com/4430141  - Introduction by Paddy Costall

http://www.vimeo.com/4434007 - Pat O'Hare

http://www.vimeo.com/4434699 -George Gallimore

http://www.vimeo.com/4435091  - Berne Stålenkrantz

More videos coming soon!

EMCDDA's Lisbon conference 6-8 May 2009

12-03-2009 Civil society views on the Political Declaration at the Commission on Narcotic Drugs

 The Political Declaration adopted on the 12th March 2009 at the High Level Segment of the 52nd Session of the CND is a framework and set of priorities for the next 10 years of international drug policy.  

Civil society movements express disappointment with the conclusions of the review of the achievements against objectives set at the General Assembly Special Session on Drugs in 1998. “There is an unwillingness to confront the real policy dilemmas with reference to the reality of drug use and problems as experienced in the outside world” state civil society representatives.  

The advocacy note produced by civil society organisations joining the International Drug Policy Consortium can be downloaded at http://www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents.pl?ID=1000231

30-03-2009 CONNECTIONS Krakow conference: a successful event reminds us of achievements so far, but, most importantly, of many challenges still ahead!

The 1^st conference of the CONNECTIONS project took place in Krakow, Poland on the 25-27 March 2009.

The conference saw the participation of many delegates from European countries and beyond, together with experts and speakers from the academic field, NGOs, prison administration, international organisations, the police and users unions representatives. 

The conference opened with a “Polish session” on Wednesday morning on substitution treatment in prison and run through plenary and parallel sessions covering the journey of a drug user within the criminal justice system from the phase of arrest through sentencing in court, alternatives to imprisonment - where iand when mplemented - and then prison and, not less important, the phase of release and aftercare. 

Conference participants have expressed satisfaction with the variety of angles presented and discussed during the conference and with the opportunities for networking provided. The master class on “Quality in Drug Treatment” has been a success and delegates confirmed their appreciations for the opportunity to learn practical tools and for the interaction which it provided for. 

All lessons to be learned for the next conference of the CONNECTIONS project, scheduled for early summer 2010 possibly in London. 

Look out the CONNECTIONS website for conference proceedings to be published soon! 

Cinzia Brentari, CONNECTIONS conference coordinator

26-01-2009: Drugs in Spanish prisons: a reportage from TVE

During Christmas holydays 3 prisoners died of overdoses in the Spanish prison of Zuera, in Zaragoza in only 6 days. More than half Spanish prisoners are drug users and admit consuming in prison some kind of substances. TVE Spanish TV enters into prison to interview prisoners and staff on the dramatic consequences of drug use in custody. 

The video (in Spanish) can be found at http://www.rtve.es/mediateca/videos/20090126/equipo-reporteros-tve-analiza-las-dramaticas-consecuencias-droga-las-carceles/391902.shtml?s1=noticias&s2=&s3=

21-01-2009: Council of Europe anti-torture Committee publishes report on Albania prisons and police detention centres

The Council of Europe's Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CPT) published its report on the June 2008 ad hoc visit to Albania.