Penal Reform International (PRI) and Women Beyond Walls are collaborating to map out the key areas in need of reform related to the criminalisation of women globally due to their poverty and...
Revitilising the campaign against sedition and insult offences in Africa
SALC: Sedition laws are a serious threat to freedom of expression and democracy in Africa. These laws are often used to silence dissent and criminalize legitimate criticism of the government....
UN expert calls for scrapping of colonial laws and policies that marginalise LGBT persons
NEW YORK (27 October 2023) – The vast majority of countries that have laws and policies targeting individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity have inherited these practices from...
54th Session of the Human Rights Council: Drug Policy Highlights
Harm Reduction International: On 13 October 2023, the Human Rights Council (HRC) concluded its 54th session (11/09/2023 to 13/10/2023). This briefing highlight key debates, decisions and documents in which drug...
Keynote address at ICPA Annual Conference 2023 argues for decriminalisation of poverty and status
PRI: The International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) Annual Conference 2023 took place in Antwerp, Belgium, from 22-27 October 2023, hosted by the Belgian Prison Service. The theme of the conference...
Recommendations adopted at regional conference on justice-affected women in Africa
From 18-20 October 2023, 257 delegates representing 7 countries from across Africa convened for a regional conference: ‘Unlocking Barriers: Rights of Women in the Criminal Justice System in Africa’. The...
UN Special Rapporteurs express concerns about draft Italian law that could criminalise persons occupying housing or lands irregularly
The UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing and the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty sent a communication to Italy on a draft law that could lead to the criminalization of individuals living...
The over-penalisation of poverty through fines and fees
PRI: In many countries around the world, criminal justice fines disproportionately affect the poorest and most marginalised in society, effectively creating tiered justice systems. In this blog, Jean Galbraith and Rheem Brooks...
Decriminalize petty offences and ensure gendered approaches during probation and aftercare services
ICJ-Kenya: KAMPALA, Uganda – The International Commission of Jurists, Kenyan Section has been at the forefront of National, Regional and Global campaigns calling for the decriminalization and reclassification of petty...
Judicial accountability and independence must be upheld
ICJ-Kenya: The Kenyan Chapter of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ-K) is championing for Judicial Independence and Accountability in the country, that will facilitate Judicial institutions to properly execute their...
What does the International Day of the Girl Child mean to girls who come in contact with the law? – Rebecca Kabejja
AdvocAid: As Sierra Leone together with the rest of the world celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child under the global theme – Our time is now—our rights, our future,...
Congress takes up Unhoused Bill of Rights as States debate similar Bills
Invisible People: U.S. Representative Cori Bush, D-MO, has reintroduced her landmark Unhoused Bill of Rights legislation as states across the country consider passing similar legislation. Bush’s bill would require the federal...
How criminalization is contributing to homeless deaths
Invisible People: Approximately 20 homeless people die each day, but probably not for the reasons you’d expect. Many of these deaths are gruesome, violent, and, perhaps even more tragically, encouraged. A...
Three ways to reduce the number of women in prison in the Americas
PRI: In July 2023, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights presented its first-ever report detailing the scale and situation of women deprived of liberty in the Americas. In this blog...
Analysing the case of Digashu and Others v Government of the Republic of Namibia, Seiler-Lilles v Government of the Republic of Namibia
SALC: On 16 May 2023, The Supreme Court of Namibia ruled that Namibia’s immigration laws must recognise same-sex marriages validly concluded outside Namibia, setting aside the High Court decision of...
U.S. Fails to Meet International Human Right to Housing Standards
According to a new report from the National Homelessness Law Center and the University of Miami Law School Human Rights Clinic, the U.S. is failing to meet several internationally accepted standards for...
Mental Health, Patriarchy and the Criminalisation of Attempted Suicide
SALC: According to the WHO, for every suicide in Africa, there are approximately 20 attempts. While some countries have slowly moved towards repealing the criminal offence of attempted suicide, recognising...
Eswatini monarchy accused of silencing opponents
https://youtu.be/467plXwu2bw?si=BZwGhbUhJkIhN2xp Al Jazeera: Africa's last absolute monarchy is facing criticism over its human rights record. Earlier this year, a prominent lawyer was killed in Eswatini - some say by the...
Sri Lanka: Proposed Online Safety Bill would be an assault on freedom of expression, opinion, and information
The ICJ is concerned that the newly proposed Online Safety legislation, if adopted in its present form, would serve to crush free expression and further contract an already shrinking civic...
134 NGOs sign collective statement urging the international community to act on UN human rights chief’s ground-breaking call for systemic drug policy reform
IDPC: In a historical report released today, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights denounced the failure of punitive drug policies and the global ‘war on drugs’, and called for a new...
Iran’s compulsory veiling bill is a despicable assault on rights of women and girls
Amnesty International: Reacting to the news that Iran’s parliament has passed a new bill that would impose further draconian penalties severely violating women’s and girls’ rights as well as increasing prison...
ACJR submission on the South African Judicial Matters Amendment Bill [B7-2023]
In May 2023, Africa Criminal Justice Reform made a written and oral submission to parliament regarding the The Judicial Matters Amendment Bill [B7-2023] in South Africa. The Bill provides the...
Dullah Omar Institute Submission to Special Rapporteurs Call for Input
In September 2023, the Dullah Omar Institute made a submission in response to the call from the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing and the Special Rapporteur...
A society behind bars: the effects of Algeria’s widespread crackdown on human rights
Amnesty International: The Algerian authorities are leading a relentless crackdown on citizens for expressing any form of dissent. Be it participants in protest marches, journalists working for independent media, or...
Audit Reveals the Dirty Truth About Homeless Encampment Cleanups
Invisible People: How Sweeps Rarely Lead to Permanent Housing Situations for Homeless Encampment Residents. Homeless encampment “cleanups” have dirt on their name for good reason. Alternatively referred to as “sweeps” or...
Justice Collective submits testimony to UN on the mass fining of people from poor, racialized communities across Europe
Along with partners (RE)Claim/MCDS (France), Hungarian Helsinki Committee (Hungary), Justice Collective urges the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing and the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and...
Interactive map reveals state-sanctioned violence against protesters worldwide
Amnesty International: Authorities across the world are increasingly resorting to unlawful use of force and repressive legislation to crush protests, Amnesty International said today, as it launched an interactive digital...
Mexico: Land, territory and environmental defenders are being criminalized for exercising their right to protest
Amnesty International: The disproportionate use of criminal law is one of the main threats facing the right to protest peacefully in defense of land, territory and environment in Mexico, Amnesty...
Quash conviction and release rights defenders mobilised against torture
72 organisations, including FIACAT, are calling for the conviction to be quashed and for the release of two Bangladeshi human rights defenders who are about to be imprisoned. Leaders of...
Sub-national Governance, Law Enforcement and Oversight in Five African Countries: Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia
On 31 August 2023, ACJR hosted a webinar on Sub-national governance, law enforcement and oversight in Five African countries. The webinar highlighted key issues relating to sub-national law enforcement in Ghana, Kenya,...
Nigeria: Activists advocate decriminalisation of minor offences to decongest prisons
Civil society group, Prisons Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), has urged federal and state legislatures to hasten the amendment of criminal laws and decriminalisation and declassification of minor and petty...
India: BNS Bill introduced by Amit Shah provides for community service as punishment for petty offences
People convicted of petty offences like defamation and drunken misconduct in public may soon get away with community service as a form of punishment, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah...
Illinois Supreme Court rules in favor of ending the state’s cash bail system
The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled in favor of eliminating the state's cash bail system, ending bail as a condition of pretrial release. In a 5-2 ruling Tuesday, the state's highest court...
Stakeholders review Model State Law on Correctional Service in Nigeria
PRAWA: The first review workshop for a Model State Law on Correctional Service was held on the 7th of August at Rockview Hotel by PRAWA and other stakeholders. The proposed...
Botswana religious groups threaten rule of law and refuse LGBTQ rights
SALC: Country’s Council of Churches applauded 2019 decriminalization ruling. Botswana is considered a secular state and all people have equal access to religious organizations and institutions. There are three Christian...
Lebanon: New campaign calls on parliament to reform insult and defamation laws
Amnesty International: The Lebanese authorities must immediately halt all prosecutions of journalists, human rights defenders, activists, and others who are critical of state officials, Amnesty International today, as the organization launches #MyOpinionIsNotaCrime,...
Emergence of ‘Unsanctioned’ in Homeless Propaganda is Ominous
Invisible People: Politicians are using the word ‘Unsanctioned’ in homeless legislation, suggesting Sanctioned Encampments Will Become the Norm. For time immemorial, when politicians talk about homelessness, they complain about homeless encampments. Their...
‘It’s a huge sign of progress’: the battle to decriminalise suicide
Reposted from the Guardian: In at least 17 countries, suicide remains a criminal offence – a ‘huge barrier’ to mental health care. As Ghana becomes one of four countries to...
Call for inputs re-opened: Decriminalization of homelessness and poverty
In many countries persons experiencing homelessness, living in poverty or situation of vulnerability continue to be disproportionately subjected to fines, deportation, arbitrary arrest, or detention for petty offences or conduct...
Martin v. Boise Survives a Legal Challenge
Invisible People: The 9th Circuit’s ruling that cities can’t force unhoused people off the streets if they don’t have adequate shelter options survived a legal challenge by petitioners from Grants...
Thailand: Drop ‘insulting the monarchy’ charge against child protester involved in mock fashion show
Amnesty International: On 29 October 2020, pro-democracy protesters gathered around Bangkok’s Silom Road to call for political reforms. As part of the demonstration, protestors held the ‘People’s Runway’, a mock...
Human Rights Council Resolution on violence against women and girls in detention adopted
Penal Reform International: A resolution tabled by Canada was adopted at the Human Rights Council last week on ‘Accelerating efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls:...
Zimbabwe: President’s signing of ‘Patriotic Bill’ a brutal assault on civic space
Amnesty International: Responding to the news that President Emmerson Mnangagwa has signed into law the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Amendment Bill, 2022, commonly referred to as the “Patriotic Bill”,...
Campaign members co-sign open letter demanding women rights forums to include criminalised women
An Open Letter to the organisers of Women Deliver and the Generation Equality Forum calling for all High-Level Forums on women’s rights to be inclusive of all women, particularly criminalised, incarcerated and formerly incarcerated Women. The letter,...
France: Nahel shooting highlights need for overhaul of police firearms rules and an end to systemic racism in law enforcement
Amnesty International: Following the banning of a number of demonstrations protesting police violence after the unlawful killing of 17-year-old Nahel M by a police officer, Amnesty International is calling for...
Uganda repeals Vagrancy, Sedition and False News Offences
Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) notes that the Uganda Law Revision (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act, 2023, has repealed some of the rogue and vagabond, sedition, and false news offences in its...
No need for debate, uphold the Court of Appeal decision on LGBTIQ+ rights in Botswana
SALC: Botswana’s Parliament intends to table a number of bills in the current session, one of which seeks to repeal section 164 of the Penal Code. On 29 November 2021,...
Historic Swazi court judgment striking down parts of sedition and terrorism laws is under threat
The Eswatini Supreme Court has controversially reinstated the state’s appeal against a liberal landmark high court judgment passed in 2016. After a lapse of six years, Eswatini’s Supreme Court has...
Zimbabwe’s recently passed law signals disturbing crackdown
Two months before presidential and parliamentary elections on 23 August, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges Zimbabwe to abandon a proposed “sovereignty and national interest” law that poses a major threat to journalism....
The Right to Public Spaces and Informal Work: Key considerations for Law & Policy-Making
On 28 June 2023, ACJR in collaboration with Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO) hosted a webinar on The Right to Public Spaces and Informal Work: Key considerations for Law...