Press release
PRI to provide monitoring training for National Torture Prevention Centre in Kyrgyzstan
On March 10-12 2015, the staff of the Kyrgyz National Torture Prevention Center (NTPC) will attend training on the monitoring of detention/custodial restraint for juveniles in Kyrgyzstan. The training is part of a three-year project on Gradual eradication of violence against children in detention in Central Asia implemented jointly by the Youth Human Rights Group Public Association […]
Press release
PRI Central Asia hosts training on therapeutic responses to children in conflict with the law
This week, PRI’s Central Asia office is holding a training course in Almaty for the staff of closed institutions on therapeutic responses to address offending and anti-social behaviour by children and adolescents. At the time of writing, there are 95 under-18s in correctional institutions and 167 in specialised schools for children in Kazakhstan. “Amid the political and socio-economic changes taking […]
News
PRI at the UN Human Rights Council’s 28th Regular Session (March 2015)
Next week will see the start of the 28th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council (2-27 March 2015 in Geneva). PRI will be participating on two key issues: the abolition of the death penalty and the human rights impact of overuse of imprisonment. We are co-hosting a side-event, ‘Strengthening death penalty standards’, with the Permanent Representations of Switzerland and Mexico. The […]
News
PRI participating in first World Congress on Juvenile Justice next week
Next week, PRI will participate in the first ever World Congress on Juvenile Justice taking place in Geneva. This week-long event aims to become a milestone in the implementation of international norms relating to children in conflict with law and children who are victims, survivors or witnesses. The Congress, hosted by the Swiss Federal Department […]
News
PRI Central Asia hosts forum on employment for former prisoners
On 12 December, PRI’s Central Asia office held its 2nd Prison Forum. The event was hosted by the General Prosecutor’s Office and supported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Republic of Kazakhstan, the British Embassy and the OSCE Centre in Astana. The 1st Prison Forum in December 2013 was the first national event on a […]
News
PRI joins calls for the immediate release of Dr Amin Medani
Penal Reform International (PRI) is shocked to learn of the arbitrary arrest and detention of Dr Amin Mekki Medani on the evening of 6 December by the Sudanese National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). Dr Medani served 10 years on the board of PRI from 2004 until earlier this year. Dr Medani, a distinguished human […]
News
PRI awarded four-year grant by Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs for penitentiary reform in Yemen
The four year project starting in December 2014 will aim to reform the penitentiary system in line with international human rights; develop the capacity of civil society groups to initiate projects to support people in the criminal justice system and to protect the rights of prisoners; and implement alternative sanctions and diversion mechanisms at community […]
News
Book review: Life after murder – five men in search of redemption
Use of life and long-term sentences has been growing globally. In 2012, of the 2.3 million prisoners in US prisons, 159,520 were serving life sentences, including almost 50,000 life without parole. Nancy Mullane was a winner in PRI’s journalism competition held as part of our death penalty abolition programme in 2014. While the competition was judged on the basis […]
News
Uganda has ended its opposition to a global moratorium on the use of the death penalty
Uganda has ended its opposition to a global moratorium on the use of the death penalty. At the UN General Assembly on 21 November 2014, Uganda abstained on the measure, changing after seven years of voting against. The country is one of ten where PRI is working to abolish the death penalty and implement humane alternative sanctions. […]
News
International conference in Amman highlights progress of criminal justice reform initiatives in MENA
On 3 and 4 November, PRI’s Middle East and North Africa office co-organised a large international conference with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and under the patronage of his Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan. This conference marked the end of a three year project (2011-2014) funded by the Swedish International […]