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A Turkish forensic scientist with decades of international experience has been elected president of the United Nations' top drug control oversight body, marking the first time a Turkish national has held the position.
Professor H. H. Sevil Atasoy was chosen to lead the International Narcotics Control Board during the organization's 143rd session this week, the U.N. Information Service announced Friday.
The election took place on May 22, following several days of committee meetings that began on May 20.
Born in Istanbul in 1949, Atasoy graduated from German High School and Istanbul University's Faculty of Chemistry before earning her doctorate in medical sciences from Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine's Biochemistry Department.
She served as department head of the Chemical Expertise Department at Türkiye's Institution of Forensic Medicine from 1980 to 1993 and managed the Forensic Medical Institute of Istanbul University between 1987 and 2005.
Atasoy previously served on the International Narcotics Control Board from 2005 to 2010, gaining extensive experience with the organization before she is elected president. She currently serves as Vice Rector of Uskudar University and director of the Violence and Crime Prevention and Research Center.
Beyond her academic credentials, Atasoy is widely recognized in Türkiye for her role as narrator in the Turkish crime series "Kanit," where she delivered the show's signature closing line: "There is no perfect crime."
She has also hosted programs on CNN Turk called "Crime and Evidence" and "Bizarre Works" on HaberTurk, and served as concept owner and presenter of a detective TV show on Kanal D that ran for 100 episodes.
Her media work has made forensic science accessible to Turkish audiences while maintaining her academic focus on biochemistry, toxicology, and genetics research published in internationally acclaimed journals.
The Vienna-based board serves as an independent, quasi-judicial body responsible for monitoring government compliance with three major international drug control treaties dating back to 1961. Its 13 members, elected by the UN Economic and Social Council for five-year terms, work to ensure controlled substances remain available for legitimate medical, scientific and industrial purposes while preventing their diversion to illegal markets.
Atasoy's appointment represents significant recognition for Türkiye, which has played an increasingly prominent role in international drug control efforts as a key transit route between Europe and Asia.
Her extensive international experience includes fellowships and visiting positions at institutions ranging from the FBI and California Criminalist Institute to the German Federal Criminal Authority and universities across the United States and Europe.
The new leadership team includes N. Larissa Razanadimby as First Vice-President and Pierre Lapaque as Second Vice-President. Outgoing President Prof. Jallal Toufiq congratulated the new officers and "thanked the Members of the Board for their trust and support," while expressing "appreciation to Member States and other partners for their cooperation over the past year."
The leadership change comes as international drug control faces new challenges, including the rise of fentanyl trafficking and debates over cannabis legalization in various jurisdictions worldwide.
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