Despite many positive reforms and success in moving away from the punitive penal policies of the Soviet era, criminal justice systems in the South Caucasus face a number of challenges.
Corruption is a persistent problem, particularly in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Trained pre-independence, members of the judiciary lack full independence and expertise, often resulting in the over-use of custodial sentences. Transition from Soviet-style prison colony to cell-type prisons is an ongoing challenge, along with maintaining and replacing buildings that were not originally designed as places of detention and which are unfit for habitation.
PRI has been working in the region since 1999. Our South Caucasus regional office is in Tbilisi, Georgia, and operates in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Current work focuses on:
- torture prevention and improving independent public oversight of places of detention
- promoting non-custodial sanctions
- building the capacity of prison and probation services
- improving justice for children.
Latest updates
Report
Influence of Criminal Subculture on the Management of Prisons
Public and policy-makers often have differing views concerning the penitentiary system. With the exception of a small group of specialists and practitioners, not many understands clearly how the penitentiary system works. Penitentiary institutions are a closed environment that leads to a heterogeneous moral and emotional climate, causing the formation of different social orders within the […]
Languages: English, Georgian
News
Florian Irminger resigns from PRI as Executive Director
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 […]
Annual Report
PRI Annual Accounts 2019
Report of PRI’s Board and financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2019. The Board’s report was approved following the 86th meeting of PRI’s Executive Board on 29 May 2020. Upon request, PRI will share the organisation’s 2019 audit and the management response to comments made by the auditors.
Languages: English