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UN Human Rights Council reaffirms role of human rights in international drug policy debate
Last Friday evening, 23 March 2018, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council concluded its three-week long session by voting to adopt a Resolution reaffirming that human rights must play a central role in the ongoing international debate on global drug policies. The resolution, put forward by Switzerland, Mexico and other core group members Albania, […]
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PRI signs contract to monitor Georgian government reforms in the penal sector
PRI’s South Caucasus office has signed a grant contact with the European Union to work on a project in Georgia on Monitoring Government’s Commitments and Promoting Reforms in the Penal Sector Through the Engagement of CSOs (civil society organisations). This is a joint project with the Human Rights Center and Rehabilitation Initiative for Vulnerable Groups. The specific […]
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Mainstreaming a human-rights based approach in Algeria
As part of a project promoting the administration of criminal justice in Algeria in line with recent international standards and best practices, PRI’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) office organised a two-day workshop for the National Police’s newly established Human Rights Department in Algeria. 31 police officers and gendarmerie participated in the workshop, which focused on […]
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PRI’s MENA office organises training workshop for prison staff on human rights standards
Last week, PRI’s Middle East and North Africa (MENA) office organised a three-day Training of Trainers workshop for prison staff in Yemen on treating prisoners according to international human rights standards. Approximately 20 prison managers and officers attended the workshop, which aimed to build the capacity of the prison administration and staff members on general […]
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UNICRI conference on rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for violent extremist offenders
Last week, PRI’s Executive Director Alison Hannah gave a presentation at an international conference in Turin organised by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) on bridging the gaps between prison and community-based rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for violent extremist offenders. The three-day conference brought together international and country experts to highlight the results […]
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Closure of the Moscow office of PRI
At PRI’s Executive Board meeting on 25 January 2018, the future of the Moscow office was reviewed. Following this, the Executive Board reluctantly took the view that in the current financial climate, the organisation cannot continue its financial support for the Moscow office. This decision was not made lightly. The Moscow office, one of the […]
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Launch of EU-funded project on torture prevention in Kyrgyzstan
A three-year project that aims to strengthen the efforts of the government and civil society organisations (CSOs) in Kyrgyzstan to prevent torture was launched last week at a press conference in Bishek. The project, which is funded by the European Union, is being implemented by PRI in partnership with the Human Rights Ombudsman of Kyrgyzstan; the National Center […]
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PRI organises Kazakhstan study visit to Georgia on child-friendly justice systems
Earlier this month, PRI’s South Caucasus and Central Asia offices organised for a delegation from Kazakhstan to visit Georgia to learn about the country’s good practice examples in the fields of child protection, welfare and justice. The delegation visited children’s rehabilitation facilities, low-risk facilities, foster homes, and family homes for homeless children and children with […]
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PRI signs an agreement to support demilitarisation of the prison service in the Central African Republic
In December 2017, Penal Reform International signed an agreement with the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) to provide support in developing a strategy for demilitarisation of the prison service. MINUSCA has been working in Central African Republic since 2014, supporting efforts to address the root causes of conflict and […]
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Expert meeting at PRI on mental health in prisons
A meeting held at PRI’s Head Office in London on 23 January 2018 gathered a number of experts to discuss the mental health and well-being of prisoners, in order to provide input into a publication that will give guidance to front-line prison staff to identify and support prisoners’ mental health needs. The publication, which will […]