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Spotlight:
Police brutality, racism: PRI's response and action at the UN Human Rights Council
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The events unfolding in the United States of America since the killing of George Floyd have highlighted the dire and urgent need for law enforcement to be part of a broader conversation, in all societies, about values we share and differences we cherish. George Floyd is one of the many names of those killed at the hand of police in the USA and elsewhere.
In our article from 8 June 2020 we call for changes to be taken within criminal justice systems worldwide so that they uphold human rights for all and do no harm. We join those mourning the loss of their children, brothers and sisters, parents, relatives, and friends at the hands of law enforcement agents and race-fuelled violence.
The UN Human Rights Council took action on racism against Africans and People of African Descent at their recently concluded session, holding an urgent debate and adopting a resolution condemning systemic racism, excessive use of force and other human rights violations by law enforcement. Significantly, the resolution mandated the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to provide oral reports on this issue and requested a written report in one year. Read our response to this resolution. |
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Latest on our response to the COVID-19 pandemic
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PRI continues to support efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in places of detention worldwide, as well as protect the rights of people in prison by monitoring the global response and measures adopted. New updates:
- COVID-19 response in Central African Republic: In partnership with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission (MINUCSA), PRI organised training sessions for members of the civil society platform in Central African Republic who can now train and better equip prison staff, both civilian and military, and conduct awareness sessions for people in prison and visitors on preventive measures. PRI has also been delivering protection kits (gloves, masks, soap and hydro-alcoholic gel) to prisons in the country. The spread of COVID-19 in Central African Republic is of major concern, as a conflict-affected country already struggling to treat existing cases of malaria, measles and tuberculosis. Read more about our efforts here.
- New analysis on women in prison during COVID-19: In an expert blog we assess the impact of COVID-19 on women in prison and set out recommendations for a gender-specific response to COVID-19 for the 700,000 women in prison globally. The blog draws on information collated from partners in the ‘Women in Prison Network’ that brings together women with lived experience of prison and advocates from 21 countries convened by the Vance Center for International Justice. Read the expert blog.
- Giorgi Burjanadze, Deputy Ombudsperson in Georgia and member of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) mandated to conduct the monitoring of detention facilities, shares how they adapted its methodology to continue its critical work during the Covid-19 pandemic in this expert blog for PRI.
- Justice Imman Ali, a judge of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and a member of PRI’s Board explains how they managed to release 20,938 adults from pre-trial detention in 10 working days and 343 children from custody in the space of 7 working days as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Read more here.
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PRI expresses concern over amendments to the Procedural Penal Code in Kyrgyzstan
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The Parliament of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan adopted amendments to the Procedural Penal Code which could impede the ability of courts’ in Kyrgyzstan to review a case following the submission of a communication to the Human Rights Committee by individuals, typically defendants in a criminal case, claiming to be victims of violations of any of the rights set forth in the Covenant. These provisions would hamper the procedural rights of individuals in contact with justice systems in Kyrgyzstan and hence go against the very spirit of the Optional Protocol to ICCPR.
In a joint letter, PRI and Centre for Civil and Political Rights raised their concern to the President of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan. |
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PRI welcomes four new Board members
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PRI's four new Board members: from left - Catherine Appleton, Michelle Carpentier, Suzanne Jabbour, and Erika Marseille.
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PRI is delighted to announce the election of four new members to its Board to strengthen the organisation’s expertise, networks, strategic vision and financial resilience.
The newly elected members are: senior criminologist and advocate Dr Catherine Appleton from the University of Nottingham; outgoing Executive Director of International Corrections and Prisons Association and former correctional and parole leader Michelle Carpentier; psychologist, Executive Director of Restart Centre for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture and Vice-President of the United Nations Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture, Suzanne Jabbour; and economist and financial expert Erika Marseille.
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Delving deeper into Global Prison Trends
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In the first expert blog in a new series where leaders, practitioners and academics will share their expertise to delve into trends and analysis from Global Prison Trends 2020, the President of the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights, Joel Hernández, writes about alternatives to pre-trial detention in the Americas where the number of people held in remand are excessively high. Commissioner Hernández calls for the use of alternatives as an urgent measure to protect human rights – during the COVID-19 crisis and longer-term. He writes:
' If there are a large number of people in pre-trial prisons in overcrowded prisons, now is the time to act to adjust detention to cases that comply with the principles of legality, necessity, proportionality and reasonableness.' |
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Missed the launch of our report? PRI will be joining the University of Chicago and the Thailand Institute of Justice for another discussion on the findings of the report on 1 July at 12 GMT: See the event flyer and register to join. |
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PRI's work on implementation of the Mandela and Bangkok Rules in UN report
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A new report by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) report looks at technical cooperation and capacity-building to promote and protect the rights of persons deprived of their liberty, specifically the implementation of the Mandela Rules and the Bangkok Rules, featuring some of PRI’s work. PRI will speak on the panel at the Human Rights Council’s 44 th session (starting 30 June) on the topic. |
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44th regular session of the Human Rights Council: COVID-19 response and the rights of people in prison
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Today the highest human rights body of the United Nations starts in session as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to hit countries around the globe and presents threats to the health and life of people in contact with criminal justice systems.
We call on the Council to respond to the High Commissioner’s call by seizing the opportunity during this session and raising its voice to give greater attention to the violations suffered by the many people who come into contact with criminal justice systems. Follow us on Twitter @PenalReformInt for updates and commentary during the Human Rights Council.
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New coronavirus briefing underway
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Penal Reform International will publish a new briefing on coronavirus and criminal justice systems in the next couple of weeks. The briefing will detail the most pressing concerns for persons in detention and those under penal supervision, issuing urgent and systemic reform recommendations. An invitation to an online event where key findings will be discussed will be circulated soon.
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PRI needs your support
In these difficult times for organisations everywhere, we are doing our best to keep providing you with quality, informative materials on criminal justice systems worldwide and on how they respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Around the world, our dedicated staff are pushing for governmental reforms, providing emergency response, and fighting for the human rights of the millions of people in places of detention worldwide. We hope that you find our regular updates informative and interesting, and we are thankful for our ever growing audience. We are proud to be part of a fast-thinking, engaged community. Please support our hard work even further by making a donation today. |
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