Southeast Asia

Criminal justice systems across Southeast Asia are characterised by systemic inequality, limited access to justice and a heavy reliance on punishment over prevention. Legal aid provision remains patchy and under-resourced, leaving people — particularly those living in poverty, ethnic minorities, women and people who use drugs — to navigate complex legal processes without adequate support.

Police practices in many countries continue to raise serious human rights concerns, including arbitrary arrest, pre-trial detention used as a default, and enforcement that targets marginalised groups disproportionately. Court backlogs are endemic, and diversion mechanisms for people with mental health conditions or drug dependency are rarely embedded in law or practice.

These systemic failures feed directly into the prison system. Since 2000, the prison population in Southeast Asia has increased by 116% — more than three times the global average — with occupancy rates exceeding 200% in Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Punitive drug policies are the primary driver: laws across the region typically criminalise possession for personal use, with mandatory pre-trial detention and heavy penalties leaving courts little discretion and people little recourse.

Women are disproportionately affected, with Asia recording a 114% rise in women’s imprisonment since 2000, largely driven by low-level drug offences. Harm reduction services — including opioid agonist therapy and needle and syringe programmes — remain scarce across the region, despite clear evidence of their public health and safety benefits.

Reform efforts are underway in some countries, including decriminalisation of certain drug offences, community-based diversion, but sustained change requires political will, investment in legal aid and health systems, and engagement with those most affected.