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The 33rd session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (the ‘Crime Commission’) will be held in Vienna and online from 17 – 21 May 2021. The Crime Commission is the principal policymaking body that guides the UN in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice and takes action […]
Through a fund from the European Union, PRI is playing a pivotal role in addressing the needs of detainees amidst the current devastating conflict. Started in June 2023, the project “Enhancing Rule of Law and People’s Access to Justice in Sudan” has led transformative efforts to improve prison conditions, advocate for the rights of vulnerable […]
This is part 2 of the blog ”Findings from Auditing Prisons in Malawi” originally published by Pathfinders Read part 1 here ____________________________________________________________ By Clifford Msiska, Director, Paralegal Advisory Service Institute (Malawi) and Adam Stapleton, Director, The Governance and Justice Group (UK) The Justice for All report highlights the importance of putting people at the center of justice. This can […]
In February 2024, Penal Reform International (PRI) and local partner, Ceza İnfaz Sisteminde Sivil Toplum Derneği (Civil Society in the Penal System Association, CISST), embarked on a new project funded by the European Union to improve human rights in the in Türkiye’s Penitentiary System. For the next four years, PRI and CISST will deliver an ambitious […]
Press release On 6 February 2024, in Doha, Qatar, the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) of the State of Qatar and Penal Reform International (PRI) made a significant step towards improving and safeguarding human rights in the criminal justice system by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This strategic partnership aims to foster a collaborative […]
Organised by Penal Reform International with the support of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, UK, USA, UNODC HIV/AIDS Section, HRI, INPUD and ENPUD. People in prison bear a disproportionate burden of health-related issues, characterised by a higher prevalence of chronic physical […]
Monday 15 April 2024 – 9.00am – 4.30 pm The Hague Humanities Hub, the Hague, the Netherlands Background In 2010, the General Assembly adopted UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) to address the gender-specific needs of women offenders and women in prisons. These rules […]
On 27 June 2023, a range of experts gathered in Brussels to discuss the use of electronic monitoring (“EM”) and related human rights implications. Participants included academics, representatives from national probation agencies, the Confederation of European Probation (CEP), the Council of Europe, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and civil society groups. […]
On 7 March 2023, PRI hosted a multi-stakeholder regional roundtable in Brussels to discuss and address problems faced by Roma in European criminal justice systems, especially within the context of implementing non-custodial sanctions and measures. The roundtable discussions benefitted from the expertise and perspective of criminal justice practitioners from seven European countries as well as […]
Next month (March 2023) PRI is embarking on a new project under PRI’s Europe programme to improve monitoring and addressing of violence against children in detention in the EU. Funded by the European Commission’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme, the Data for Monitoring the Safety of Imprisoned Children – Data MOSAIC project will […]
On 16-18 November, a diverse group of nearly 70 Hungarian criminal justice stakeholders gathered in Budapest for training workshops and knowledge sharing delivered as part of PRI’s ongoing work in Europe. Led by our partners at the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the three-day event included presentations on international standards, good practices, experiences and considerations of specific […]
Is strict penal policy good? What can the Hungarian criminal justice system learn from other countries’ use of non-custodial sanctions? Would the introduction of sentencing guidelines change practice and reduce discrimination? Why are available non-custodial sanctions not used more? How can we address common barriers to better use of community-based sanctions? What can we do […]
As part of ongoing work in Europe, PRI traveled to Coimbra, Portugal on 4 and 5 November to meet with criminal justice stakeholders and our partner the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra for discussions on ways to make non-custodial sanctions and measures in the country more readily available for all, supporting flexibility, responsivity and fairness in their use and implementation, also in times of crises such as the […]
Penal Reform International (PRI) has announced the establishment of an Advisory Council and is honoured that eight distinguished experts have been elected as the first members. The Council will strengthen the organisation’s impact and networks to achieve PRI’s ambitions for 2020-2023. Hon’ble Justice Muhammad Imman Ali, a Judge of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and […]
A new briefing, Coronavirus: Preventing harm and human rights violations in criminal justice systems, highlights the impact of responses to COVID-19 on people in detention – amounting to 11 million people – who have been left behind, ignored or forgotten. Penal Reform International exposes a lack of systematic testing and data collection in prisons across the globe, which means unknown numbers of people in detention and staff are falling ill and dying […]