Briefing
PRI briefing note issued on 16 March 2020 on the situation of the outbreak of a novel form of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and prevention measures in prisons and wider impacts of responses to governments on people in criminal justice systems. As the COVID-19 pandemic affects more people in an ever increasing list of countries, PRI has […]
Languages: Arabic, English, Russian, Spanish
Briefing
This Short Guide summarises the 122 Rules of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners which were revised by the UN in 2015. The Guide, which outlines the minimum standards that should be applied in prisons from admission to release, will be useful for policy-makers developing national prison management standards and guidelines and […]
Languages: Amharic, English, French, Georgian, Haitian Creole, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Russian, Spanish, Swahili, Thai
International Standard
The UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (SMRs) were initially adopted by the UN Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in 1955, and approved by the UN Economic and Social Council in 1957. The Nelson Mandela Rules: an animated introduction from Penal Reform International on Vimeo. […]
Languages: Uzbek, Arabic, Chinese, English, Finnish, French, German, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Slovenian, Spanish, Tajik
Multimedia
Un nuevo cortometraje de animación de PRI, que observa el impacto nocivo de la utilización innecesaria del encarcelamiento alrededor del mundo y que incentiva la utilización de medidas no privativas de la libertad. Other languages: English, français, Русский, العربية, ქართული, Հայերեն
Languages: Spanish
Briefing
Prison officers come into contact with prisoners on a daily basis and have almost absolute power over detainees who rely on them for their basic needs. The way prison officers perceive their working conditions how they are treated by managers and colleagues has a significant impact on the atmosphere in detention and the treatment of […]
Languages: English, French, Georgian, Russian, Spanish
Briefing
While they may sometime be a necessary measure to provide security and order in a custodial setting (eg to prevent inter-prisoner violence or escape), instruments of restraint pose a high risk for torture or other ill-treatment due to their highly intrusive nature and the risk of causing injury, pain and/or humiliation. They may even be […]
Languages: English, French, Russian, Spanish
Briefing
Pre-trial detention is a high risk situation for torture and ill-treatment. Pre-trial detention increases the risk of a confession being coerced by torture and confession and exposes detainees – still innocent until proven guilty – to violence and abuse from guards or other prisoners. High rates of pre-trial detention contribute to overcrowding, which in turn […]
Languages: English, French, Georgian, Russian, Spanish
Briefing
While a legitimate security measure under certain circumstances, body searches also represent a high-risk situation for abuse, ill-treatment and even torture; they may also be used to intimidate, harass, retaliate or discriminate. This Factsheet: lists the relevant international standards identifies types and situations of risk provides checklists of questions that monitoring bodies can ask for […]
Languages: English, French, Russian, Spanish
Briefing
CCTV can be important safeguard against torture and ill-treatment in places of deprivation of liberty when used appropriately. However, without policies to regulate it use and proper systems for maintenance and storage, it will not only be ineffective at preventing abuse but can also infringe detainees’ right to privacy and confidentiality. This Factsheet: lists the […]
Languages: English, French, Russian, Spanish
Report
In many countries, whether driven by political or media pressure for tighter security, a punitive approach to imprisonment, inadequate staff-prisoner ratios or a lack of training on inter-personal skills, de-escalation and mediation, prison management often takes unnecessary or disproportionate recourse to security measures in violation of detainees’ right to dignity. This paper aims to provide […]
Languages: Uzbek, English, French, Russian, Spanish, Tajik