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“The system is just not ready” – Promoting alternatives to imprisonment in Hungary
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 […]
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PRI at the UN Human Rights Council 50th session
The 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council took place in Geneva from 13 June to 8 July 2022. Over the past weeks, human rights experts, state and civil society representatives have highlighted human rights violations in criminal justice systems, particularly for vulnerable and marginalised groups, and have underlined the need to, among other […]
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Women in prison trained in business skills receive startup capital in Uganda
On 13 June, 26 women from Mbale Women’s Prison were certified in small business management. The women, who had completed one month’s training in business development, entrepreneurship and strategic business planning, also received startup capital ranging from Shs3m to Shs7m, to launch their own business to support themselves and their families upon release. At the ceremony, one of the beneficiaries said, “When I was […]
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Tribute to Mr Alain Kizinguere
(Francais ci-dessous) Penal Reform International (PRI) would like to express our deep sadness on learning of the passing of Mr Alain Kizinguere on 24 March 2022 in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR). As president of the Central African Civil Society Platform on Prison Reforms in CAR, a member of Thematic Group 5 at the Ministry […]
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Penal Reform International appoints new Chair of its Board, David Fathi, and thanks outgoing Chair, Dirk van Zyl Smit
At its annual meeting on 2-3 December 2021, the Board of Penal Reform International (PRI) appointed David Fathi as its new Chairperson. As a lawyer who has devoted more than 25 years of his professional career to the representation of prisoners and the struggle for a criminal justice system that is humane, progressive and rehabilitative, […]
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Criminal justice stakeholders come together for improved non-custodial sanctions in Portugal
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 […]
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World Day Against the Death Penalty
10 October 2021 marks the 19th World Day Against the Death Penalty. This year, the World Day is dedicated to women who risk being sentenced to death, who have received a death sentence, who have been executed, and to those who have had their death sentences commuted, have been exonerated or pardoned. Their stories are […]
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Capstone Project wrap-up event considers human rights research in Kazakhstan
From 13 – 16 September 2021, Capstone Project human rights research competition alumni and representatives of Kazakhstani higher education institutions met in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, to discuss the prospects for the development and further improvement of human rights research in the country. The audience was presented with the methodology and results of the Capstone Project implemented […]
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Ceremony held to mark end of vocational training programme in three Central African prisons
As part of our support to the Central African Ministry of Justice for the implementation of the national strategy for the demilitarization of the CAR’s prisons, Penal Reform International, as implementing partner of MINUSCA initiated and organised a vocational training for people detained in Ngaragba, Bimbo and Berberati prisons in CAR. The objectives of this […]
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International Forum on Strengthening the Penitentiary System of Kazakhstan to be held annually
Nur-Sultan city Today, on July 8, at the International Online Forum “The […]