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
Blog post
We are 30: Looking forward to the next decade
30 years ago, Vivien Stern, Ahmed Othmani and Hans Tulkens created Penal Reform International. In the footsteps of our founders, and proud of all we have accomplished over the last 30 years, we now look forward and launch a new strategy, setting the tone of PRI’s evolution.
21st November 2019
News
Our ambitions for 2020-2023
This year PRI is celebrating 30 years of accomplishments in developing and promoting fair and effective criminal justice systems across the world.
Brochure
2020-2023 Strategy for Penal Reform International
This year PRI is celebrating 30 years of accomplishments in developing and promoting fair and effective criminal justice systems across the world. Today, we set our trajectory for the coming decade, launching our new strategy for 2020-2023.
Languages: English