India’s top court struck down a colonial-era law that made homosexual acts punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a landmark victory for gay rights in the world’s largest...

Many hawkers in Kenya, from anecdotal evidence, have been women. They educate, feed, shelter and clothe their children with the income from what they knew best and how they knew...

New Delhi, September 9-- The unanimous Indian Supreme Court judgment which ended the ban on consensual gay sex in private is a landmark verdict which is a “call to action” for...

By Dorothy Otieno  Almost three-quarters of criminal cases in Nairobi and Narok counties are traffic violations, shows report The high number of traffic cases is disrupting the criminal justice system...

Almost half of the 140 inmates in Warren County Jail have been prescribed psychotropic drugs, and more than half are receiving mental health treatment. It would be as accurate to...

By Joseph Muraya “”Sasa tufanye nini?” (What do you want us to do?),” it is a question one is likely to encounter if found on the wrong by authorities. One...

By Ruth Kadide Keah. “My Press card and my job saved me from the agony of cleaning up Kibarani dumpsite along Mombasa- Nairobi highway” Seif Mkalla said, a reporter in one of...

By Melody Kozah 2 August 2018 South Africa’s move towards decriminalisation aligns with the developmental approach to crime and violence. Speaking at the launch of the United Nations Standard Minimum...

By Collins Odote A fundamental tenet of any civilized society is the guarantee that the rule of law is the basis of governance. This requires that everybody is treated equally before...

The Cape High Court recently dealt with the review of two decisions of the lower courts in which prison sentences were handed to two offenders who had previously been convicted...

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Charles Francis Margai, said he will work together with judges to solve issues around petty crimes. He said instead of sending offenders to...

CitiNewsRoom Human rights activist, Francis-Xavier Sosu, has welcomed a research report by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Africa Office, on the need to decriminalize and declassify petty offences in...

Early in the morning of the 6th day of June 2018, at Mariakani law courts in Kilifi County, 9 men and a lady were brought before resident magistrate David Ndungi....

In March 2015, the applicant was arrested by police whilst on his way to the market where he works as a street vendor. He was charged with the offence of...

On 23rd June 2017, the Chief Justice of Kenya, Hon. David K Maraga, established The National Council on the Administration of Justice Committee on Criminal Justice Reform (NCAJ-CCJR) to spearhead...

On 23rd June 2017, the Chief Justice of Kenya, Hon. David K Maraga, established The National Council on the Administration of Justice Committee on Criminal Justice Reform (NCAJ-CCJR) to spearhead a...

Prisons are choking with inmates, and most of them were either convicted of petty offences or are pre-trial remandees. The Office of the DPP has been visiting the correctional facilities...

DOWNLOAD: PPP Flyer Final: Introducing the Positive Policing Partnership The “PPP” Initiative:  Sex work and policing in South Africa DOWNLOAD Sweat CSR Report Final - 5 March 2018   DOWNLOAD Research Brief_final ...

Marginalised and stigmatised groups in society such as migrants, sex workers, homeless people and drug users are at particular risk of human rights violations during policing and security operations because...

Nov. 25, 2016, 6:00 pm By LYDIA MATATA, @lydiamatata The Star Newspaper Esther served a three-month jail sentence when she began sex work aged 16. Unable to produce any identification documents, she...

In its deliberate engagement with residents and stakeholders on petty offences in Kenya, International Commission of Jurists –Kenyan section (ICJ Kenya) took its decriminalization and reclassification of petty offences campaign...

Kenyans have always found themselves on the receiving end when it comes to the law due to lack of knowledge on the existing rules of the land, but as they...

Many petty criminal offenders in remand could soon be released as the Government moves to cut its spending on remandees, which currently stands at approximately Sh388 million monthly. The Office...

The National Council on Administrative Justice (NCAJ) recently launched the Criminal Justice Reforms Committee (NCCJR) on January 15, 2018 at the Supreme Court Gardens. The committee was constituted on June...

Note: This table was compiled using the Penal Codes that are accessible online, and we accordingly cannot guarantee that we referred to the latest versions of the Penal Codes. We...

Across Africa, corrupt police officers use colonial laws to extort bribes, arrest and sexually assault the indigent and punish anyone they don't like. Malawi is throwing out these imperial outdated...

The National Council on the Administration of Justice Committee on Criminal Justice Reforms (NCCJR) was established and gazzeted by The Chief Justice of Kenya, Hon.David K Maraga, on 23rd June,...

Mr. Wilfred Nderitu was on 3rd August 2017 elected as the Vice Chairperson of the National Council on the Administration of Justice Committee on Criminal Justice Reforms (NCCJR) at the...

ACJR participated in the 8th Annual Conference of the Pan African Lawyers Union Seminar focusing on Initiatives for the Decriminalisation and Declassification of Petty Offences in Africa held in Durban,...

It’s been 54 years since Kenya got her independence and yet there are still a number of archaic, colonial and discriminatory laws on the statute books. From archival research I...

An audit report in Kenya’s criminal justice system paints a tragic picture on women access to justice. It portrays state organs as the worst enemy of Kenyan women and reveals...

By Josphat Thio'go It’s Monday morning and City Hall is once again a beehive of activity after the weekend break. People are pacing up and down to pay bills or...

Following the national conference on decriminalization and re-classification of petty offences held in Nairobi in March 2017, and further to research findings from the audit of the criminal justice system...

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the Commission), meeting at its 21st Extraordinary Session held from 23 February to 4 March 2017 in Banjul, The Gambia; Recalling its...

06 Feb 2017 | by Melody Kozah, African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF) People living in poverty and on the margins of society have been, and continue to be, disproportionately...

May 5, 2017 By NLM Reporter Criminalisation of petty offences in Kenya has, over time, provided a basis for gross violation of the human rights of poor and vulnerable populations,...

Hansard Record on Google Books    

by ODHIAMBO ORLALE · April 13, 2017 A new study on petty offences shows a link between poverty, corruption and increase in the number of inmates in remand homes and...

Victor Kapiyo[1] Petty offences are generally understood to be lesser criminal acts which attract less severe punishment. This is because they are considered to be of a lower level of...

By Benjamin Muriuki.   Maraga revealed that at the time he was a student and was nabbed by police in Nakuru town for allegedly loitering. The Chief Justice was speaking...

By JOSEPH NDUNDA, The International Commission of Jurists on Thursday called for a review of laws to remove criminal sanctions on petty offenders. They want frivolous charges against hawkers, touts,...

Following the conclusion of the policy research on petty offences and practices affecting populations at National Level and in Kisumu, Mombasa and Nairobi county levels, ICJ Kenya alongside its national...

By Louise Ehlers At 3 a.m. one March morning, Mayeso Gwanda, an informal trader, left his home in Blantyre, Malawi, and traveled to the nearby Limbe market. He carried with...