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 offences. 

Under the banner of, ‘Poverty is Not a Crime’, ICJ Kenya has consistently advocated and championed for legislations that decriminalizes certain forms of conduct while also ensuring that unnecessary criminal provisions are not added to general legislation. 

During the Regional Conference on the Rights of Women in the Criminal Justice Sector held in Kampala, Uganda, ICJ Kenya Programme Manager Julie Wayua Matheka shared a ‘Comparative Jurisprudence: Lessons from Kenya‘ with stakeholders from Africa on why it is imperative to decriminalize petty offences.

“The closest definition of a petty offence in Kenya is provided under Article 49 (2) of the Constitution of Kenya which categorises petty offences by implication and provides that, a person shall not be remanded in custody for an offence if the offence is punishable by a fine only or by imprisonment for not more than 6 months.” said Matheka.

Read full article: Decriminalize petty offences and ensure gendered approaches during probation and aftercare services

Photo: Penal Reform International, 2023