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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 […]
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PRI participates in US Congress hearing on international prison reform
On Wednesday 17 January, PRI’s Central Asia Regional Director Azamat Shambilov took part in a US Congress hearing, organised by the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, on ‘Advancing Human Rights through International Prison Reform’. The hearing, which was hosted by Congressmen Randy Hultgren and James P. McGovern, explored the problems facing prisons around the world and examined the […]
PRI attends World Health Organization meeting on prisons and health
Last week, PRI’s Executive Director, Alison Hannah, attended the World Health Organization (WHO) international meeting on prisons and health in Lisbon. This international meeting, which was jointly organised by Public Health England (PHE) and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), brought together over 100 experts in the field of prison and public […]
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OSCE/ODIHR meeting explores importance of independent detention monitoring to protect human rights while preventing violent extremism and radicalisation
The importance of independent detention monitoring bodies in assessing whether state measures to prevent and counter violent extremism and radicalisation that lead to terrorism (VERLT) in prisons are human-rights compliant was the focus of a workshop organised by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), in partnership with Penal Reform International (PRI), […]
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Preventing violent extremism in prison: joint UNDP, UNODC & PRI consulation
Two UN organisations – UNDP and UNODC – joined with PRI to hold a joint consultation with international experts and practitioners in Amman this month. The aim was to take stock of current knowledge and exchange information on good practice in addressing the issue of violent extremism in prison. Regional and global experts from over […]
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PRI attends launch of the Irish Penal Reform Trust’s Progress in the Penal System report
On 24 October, Alison Hannah, PRI’s Executive Director, spoke at the Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT)’s launch of its new project, Progress in the Penal System (PIPS). PIPS is a major three-year project monitoring human rights and best practice in Ireland’s prison system. It sets out 35 standards for the prison system, together with indicators […]
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PRI’s Central Asia office urges transfer of prison health services to the Ministry of Health in Kazakhstan
At a special session on health and the right to health services in closed institutions, held in Astana on 28 September 2017, PRI’s Central Asia (CA) office was invited by the Commission on Human Rights, under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to deliver a co-report on behalf of civil society organisations on the […]
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PRI launches anti-corruption initiative in Kazakhstan
PRI’s office in Central Asia has launched a new project to develop government accountability and good governance in the law enforcement system in order to combat corruption in Kazakhstan. The project aims to improve mechanisms for increasing accountability and anti-corruption, and build interaction between the government and civil society. The project’s first working meeting was held […]
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ODIHR and PRI preview upcoming guidance on international prison standards at joint event in Warsaw
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and Penal Reform International (PRI) presented a draft preview of their upcoming guidance document on revised international standards for the treatment of prisoners, known as the Nelson Mandela Rules, at an event in Warsaw on 19 September 2017. The event took place on the margins […]