Press release
Historic update of international prison standards by the UN
Last Thursday the plenary of the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the revised UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners – to be known as the ‘Nelson Mandela Rules’. ‘PRI is delighted at the successful outcome of this four-year review process. The updating of this key set of widely used standards, last Thursday, is […]
Press release
Press release: A new era for the prison system and protection of prisoners’ rights
On International Human Rights Day, Penal Reform International in Central Asia – in cooperation with the Committee on Legislation, Judicial and Legal Reform of the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in the Republic of Kazakhstan, Regional Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and Public Monitoring Commissions of Kazakhstan – […]
News
Legal professionals and NGOs in remote Pakistan discuss the value of the UN Bangkok Rules
In November, PRI’s partner NGO in Pakistan, the DOST Welfare Foundation, which works in the north western border province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, trained 48 law students, 21 faculty members of local Law Colleges, and 30 NGO representatives from Peshawar on the UN Bangkok Rules on women offenders and prisoners. The prison population in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa […]
News
PRI and FHRI present Children of Imprisoned Parents in Uganda research at ACERWC Conference
Ronald is 13 years old. He has no contact at all with his parents both of whom are in prison. In the future he wishes to study very hard so that he is able to get his parents out of prison. Dalius is 10 years. His mother is in prison. He feels sad about his mother […]
News
Baroness Stern pays tribute to Al Bronstein, US prison reformer and former PRI Board Member
PRI is sad to note the death of Al (Alvin) Bronstein, a dedicated prison reformer and long-serving PRI Board Member and Honorary President. Baroness Vivien Stern, a founding member of PRI and fellow Honorary President, worked alongside Al at PRI for many years, and pays tribute to him here. Around the world prison reformers and civil rights activists […]
News
PRI expands work in Morocco and Tunisia
We are pleased to announce new funding to continue our work in Morocco and Tunisia, building the capacity of prison staff, tackling prison overcrowding through developing non-custodial alternatives and on establishing effective rehabilitation and reintegration programmes. PRI continues its work with the Moroccan Prison Directorate, supported by the British Embassy’s Arab Partnership Fund, to build capacity of prison […]
News
PRI and FHRI deliver first East Africa training for women prison staff on the UN Bangkok Rules
‘How should we conduct body searches on women that keeps their dignity yet enables us to find any hidden disallowed objects? ‘How can we best support our women prisoners to earn an income when they are released? ‘Our superiors need to know about the Bangkok Rules! How can we get their support to put the […]
News
PRI to join high-level panel on protecting girls in criminal justice systems at the UN General Assembly
Despite a strong international framework designed to prevent and respond to violence against girls in both public and private spheres, the social status of women and girls, together with deep-rooted discriminatory attitudes often compromise the responses of criminal justice systems to address gender-based violence committed against them. Girls who fall victim to violence and exploitation […]
News
PRI to co-host side-event on the Mandela Rules at the UN General Assembly, October 2015
On 19 October, PRI will be co-hosting a side-event on the Implementation of the revised UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners – the Mandela Rules at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly currently underway in New York. After four years of negotiations, the revised Rules have been put forward for […]
News
PRI to co-host informal consultation on criminal justice and drug-related policies
On Tuesday 29 September 2015, PRI, the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC) and the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) are hosting an informal consultation meeting for NGOs to discuss the UN General Assembly Special Session on drugs (UNGASS) in April 2016 and to gather civil society views on drugs and criminal justice and alternatives to […]