The Executive Board of Penal Reform International (PRI) has announced that Olivia Rope has been appointed as the organisation’s Executive Director. Olivia, who has been acting Executive Director since 1 November, is stepping up from her role as Director of Policy and International Advocacy. Dirk van Zyl Smit, Chairperson of PRI, said “We are delighted […]
Penal Reform International (PRI) has announced the establishment of an Advisory Council and is honoured that eight distinguished experts have been elected as the first members. The Council will strengthen the organisation’s impact and networks to achieve PRI’s ambitions for 2020-2023. Hon’ble Justice Muhammad Imman Ali, a Judge of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and […]
Versión en español más abajo December 2020 marks the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules). As we approach this milestone, we consider progress – and delay – in making the Rules a reality for all women […]
To protect children deprived of their liberty during the COVID-19 pandemic, states must take urgent action to release children from detention and to implement non-custodial measures to ensure children’s safe reintegration into families and communities. To support professionals working in this field, the Global Initiative on Justice with Children produced a range of resources, including […]
Penal Reform International (PRI) regrets to announce that Florian Irminger has chosen to resign as Executive Director from the end of October 2020. Florian will be taking up the position of Secretary General of the Green Party in Switzerland. Florian Irminger commented: ‘I have a high esteem for PRI’s work, am grateful to have been […]
Finalists of the ‘Capstone Project’ research competition, implemented by Penal Reform International (PRI) with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Kazakhstan, presented their research projects on 14 July 2020. This year, due to the COVID-19 related restrictions in Kazakhstan, students of M.Utemissov West Kazakhstan State University presented their research […]
In the framework of the project “Supporting the State and Civil Society efforts in combating torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in Kyrgyzstan” funded by European Union, PRI in cooperation with the UNICEF in Kyrgyzstan and PF “Legal Centre” prepared Commentary to the Criminal Procedure Code. The development of the Commentary […]
A new briefing, Coronavirus: Preventing harm and human rights violations in criminal justice systems, highlights the impact of responses to COVID-19 on people in detention – amounting to 11 million people – who have been left behind, ignored or forgotten. Penal Reform International exposes a lack of systematic testing and data collection in prisons across the globe, which means unknown numbers of people in detention and staff are falling ill and dying […]
Yesterday marked an important milestone for prison systems across Europe: the revised set of European Prison Rules (EPR) were adopted by the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers. The Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) and Penal Reform International (PRI) welcome this important revision of the rules (and their commentary). It is instrumental that […]
The Parliament of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan adopted amendments to the Procedural Penal Code. One of the provision is particularly worrisome, as it deletes a reference to findings of international mechanisms as a source to reopen a case. Penal Reform International (PRI) and the Centre for Civil and Political Rights (CCPR Centre) raised concern with […]