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Spotlight
World Day Against the Death Penalty
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On 10 October 2022, the 20th World Day Against the Death Penalty was held, dedicated to reflecting on the relationship between the use of the death penalty and torture or other cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment. Marking the World Day, PRI joined 55 organisations issuing a joint statement that highlighted the increased risk of torture for women and LGBTQIA+ persons in processes leading to the death penalty and called on governments to abolish the death penalty for all offenses. In Uganda, PRI held a ceremony at the Luzira Upper Prison which had art performances by detainees and testimonials from people formerly on death row.
We invite you to explore how you can take action and join efforts towards a world with #NoDeathPenalty, and to sign up to the 8th World Congress Against the Death Penalty to be held in Berlin on 15-16 November 2022.
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PRI at the 5th World Congress on Probation and Parole
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From 28 September - 2 October 2022, the World Congress on Probation and Parole was held in Ottawa, Canada, on the theme “ No One Left Behind: Building Community Capacity”. At the event, Prof. Anabela Rodriguez from the University of Coimbra presented the comparative report on non-custodial measures across 22 EU member states, published with PRI and the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, and PRI's Tanja Dejanova shared key learning and recommendations from PRI's work in Europe. |
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New blog
Mostly overlooked: the rights of older persons deprived of liberty
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On 19 September, the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, Claudia Mahler, presented her report to the Human Rights Council which highlighted the growing proportion of older persons in prison in many countries whose needs are mostly overlooked, leading to human rights violations. In this blog for PRI, the Independent Expert reflects on her report and the urgent need for states to protect the human rights of older persons deprived of liberty. |
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New Blog
The Méndez Principles: a step forward for preventing torture and ill-treatment worldwide
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Despite universal prohibition, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment continue to be used in places of detention, especially during interrogation or police custody. In this blog, Valentina Cadelo from the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) presents the Principles on Effective Interviewing for Investigations and Information Gathering (the Méndez Principles) – a key human rights-based alternative to interrogation methods that rely on coercion to extract confessions.
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Joint submission to OHCHR on human rights and access to COVID-19 vaccines
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PRI and Harm Reduction International submitted joint input to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in relation to equitable and universal access to COVID-19 vaccines, setting out clear recommendations to improve access to COVID-19 vaccinations in prisons and for people who use drugs, drawing on our joint research on COVID-19 vaccinations for prison populations and staff published in December 2021. |
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Supporting civil society participation in human rights protection in Algeria
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This month, PRI, in partnership with the National Council for Human Rights, held a three-day workshop for civil society organisations in Mostaghanem, where participants discussed the implementation of human rights-based approaches and international standards in the administration of justice and local legislation, challenges and opportunities to advance justice reforms, and the role of civil society in protecting the rights of individuals under judicial processes.
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PRI also held a two-day capacity-building workshop for staff and commissioners at Algeria's National Council for Human Rights, which focused on the role of the Council in promoting and protecting human rights for people who come in contact with the law, as well as the role it should play at the national level to define these rights and support efforts for justice reform through enhancing the coordination mechanisms between the Council, national authorities and local civil society.
These activities are part of PRI's two-year programme funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Algeria to promote human rights within the work of the justice sector. |
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Literacy initiatives in Central African Republic
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Expanding on a programme previously rolled-out in Bouar and Berberti, PRI has launched a 3-month literacy course in a prison in Bambari and delivered the necessary supplies for participants in the programme. This is supported by the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and delivered in coordination with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of National Education.
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Training on gender-sensitive justice systems in Uganda
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This month, PRI delivered trainings on the domestication of international standards on gender-sensitive and child-friendly justice to judicial officers in Northern Uganda. We also provided awareness-raising and capacity-building training for prison officers and community service and probation staff on gender-sensitive non-custodial alternatives to imprisonment. These activities are part of an EU-funded project to promote access to justice for women and children in Northern Uganda.
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