Penal Reform International

July 2018 Update 

      

Spotlight:

New resources in torture prevention 
This month the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) released a fact sheet on the transport of detainees. This fact sheet details the main health, security, safety and material standards that must be followed to ensure that, when transported, those deprived of liberty are safe, secure and their rights are respected. The Omega Research Foundation and the University of Exeter have developed a practical guide for detention monitors on monitoring weapons and restraints in places of detention and a pocketbook. This resource outlines important standards, provides a checklist of questions for monitors to ask and highlights key areas to observe. The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights (BIM) and Human Rights Information and Documentation Systems International (HURIDOCS) are embarking on a new project to advance the global fight against torture and ill-treatment through the website Atlas of Torture - this will collate together torture prevention information and act as a tool to raise awareness, foster cooperation and share learning. A crowdfunding campaign has been set up to raise money to launch the initiative. 

Report: PRI's 2017 Annual Report 
This month PRI released its annual report summarising our regional programme work, publications and international advocacy over 2017.  Read the report now and learn about PRI's key achievements in 2017, the organisation's goals and future strategy. 
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Blog: Suicide in prison: a new study on risk factors in the prison environment 
In this new PRI expert blog Taanvi Ramesh, an assistant psychologist in the mental health team at HMP Bedford, discusses a recent international study she conducted with academics at the University of Oxford. The study compared the risk of suicide for men and women in prison with the general population in 24 high-income countries and investigated the role of a number of factors related to prison environment in the increase of suicide risk. 
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Report: World Drug Report 2018
Image, p.21, Executive Summary, World Drug Report 2018
On 26 June, World Drug Day, UNODC released the World Drug report. The report acknowledges that the prevention and treatment of drug use must respect human rights to be effective and humane. It also discusses the unclear relationship between women participants and the drug trade and that prisoners, especially women, lack access to treatment and prevention programmes for infectious diseases. The Civil Society Task Force on Drugs, of which PRI is a member, spoke at the launch of the report to bring attention to the key role of civil society in the implementation of international drug policy commitments and in multilateral debates and discussions.
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News: PRI is recruiting 
PRI is currently recruiting a full-time Policy and Programme Manager to provide 10 months of maternity cover in our London Head Office. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic individual with considerable experience of advocacy in international human rights, preferably in a criminal justice context. The closing date for applications is 26 July 2018. 
More information on how to apply

News: PRI's Middle East and North Africa Office update
PRI's Middle East and North Africa Office successfully launched a pilot radio station in Okasha prison, the largest prison in Morocco. The office's regional director  Taghreed Jaber also presented PRI's programme work in Yemen at UNDP's 2018 Annual Meeting on Rule of Law and Human Rights and exchanged knowledge with practitioners from other regions. 
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News: Declaration from the World Congress on Justice for Children 
From 28-30 May 2018 PRI co-organised the World Congress on Justice for Children in Paris where over 800 participants from around 95 countries came together to discuss strengthening justice systems for children and challenges including disengagement from violent extremism. The 'Paris Declaration', the outcome document of the Congress, calls for children's rights defenders to build on the momentum of the Conference. It calls for respect for the rights of children and that their voices are listened to in conversations around Justice for Children. The Declaration also provides recommendations for preventing and responding to juvenile offending and how to strengthen child-friendly justice systems. 
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Click here to read past newsletters or sign-up to our Bangkok Rules newsletter on women in the criminal justice system. 

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