Updates Archives
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
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
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
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,
Joint statement: Urgent call for protection of refugees’ rights and a halt to state sponsored lawlessness
We, a consortium of Institutions and Civil Society Organizations dedicated to promoting and protecting human rights, urgently call upon the Government to immediately cease the
‘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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
Why do cities respond to homelessness with criminalization?
Invisible People: A new report shows why cities often respond to homelessness with criminalization and punitive punishments. Developed by Community Solutions, a nonprofit housing advocacy
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
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
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
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
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
‘Caught in the spiral’ series launched
Prison Insider: Incarceration is the response that States often impose on unwanted behaviours. In many countries, criminal law and prison are used to target those
Mental health conference pushes for the decriminalisation of suicide
Delegates at the recent Mental Health Conference in South Africa pushed for the decriminalisation of suicide. A media coverage from Kenya highlights the issues and
Poverty and detention: Are legal frameworks adequate?
PRI: Pre-trial detention contributes significantly to prison overcrowding and causes a range of harms to individuals, their familes, and society. But what is driving its use? In
Campaign member delivers statement at United Nations General Assembly High-Level Debate on Equal Access to Justice For All
At the UN General Assembly High-Level Debate on Equal Access to Justice For All on June 15th, 2023, Richard Arbeiter, Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative
Advisory opinion of the Court requesting the abrogation of vagrancy laws
A majority of countries in Africa¹ have some type of “vagrancy laws”, meaning laws which consider people that are or are perceived to be poor, homeless
Case of an immigrant mistreated by the judicial and prison system in Tanzania
Mr X is a Congolese man who was living in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In early June 2006, he lost his passport. He went to
Petty offences convicts face repercussions long after serving sentences
Some 20 years ago, Ibrahim Kingori Njoki was involved in a brawl. He was later convicted of creating a disturbance, contrary to Section 95(1) of
Innocent Nigerians languishing in prison for petty crimes
Hope Behind Bars Africa has said that most awaiting trail inmates in Nigeria have been languishing in our Custodial facilities for petty crimes like loitering
The Guardian view on abortion law: the case for decriminalisation
The outrage caused by the jailing of a mother for ending her pregnancy after the legal limit should spark a wider rethink of archaic legislation.
Campaign’s recommendations incorporated into adopted UN CCPCJ resolution on equal access to justice
On May 22-26, members of the Campaign attended the 32nd session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), which is the principal
Supreme Court of Eswatini unanimously finds Registrar’s decision on LGBTIQ+ organisation unconstitutional
SALC: Mbabane, Eswatini: 16 June 2023 – Today, a five-panel bench of the Supreme Court of Eswatini passed a judgement setting aside the decision by the
Hong Kong: ‘Absurd’ attempt to ban protest song a clear violation of international law
Responding to the Hong Kong government’s bid to seek a court order to prohibit people from singing, broadcasting or distributing the protest song “Glory to
“Patriotic Bill” is a threat to democracy and the future of Zimbabwe
SALC: SALC is alarmed by the passing of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Amendment Bill, also known as the “Patriotic Bill”, by the lower
1 in 3 Americans Directly Impacted by Legal Fees/Fines According to First-of-its-Kind National Survey
Fines & Fees Justice Center: The United States’ overreliance on legal fees and fines is directly impacting one in three American families, according to a
Why has the conviction of Senegal’s Sonko sparked such anger?
Demonstrations broke out in Senegal after a court sentenced opposition leader Ousmane Sonko to two years in prison. He was convicted of “corrupting the youth”
Hong Kong: Tiananmen anniversary arrests highlight deepening repression
Amnesty International: Responding to the arrests of four people for “seditious intention and disorderly conduct” in Hong Kong ahead of the 34th anniversary of the
Non-alignment or hypocrisy: South Africa’s non-alignment costing Africa’s human rights discourse
SALC: In the past several months, South Africa’s foreign policy has been in the spotlight for essential and existential reasons that significantly impact geopolitics and
Let’s reform our criminal justice system and spare petty offenders
Amnesty International: The launch of the Malalamishi app by the Director of the Office of Public Prosecutions this week offers another glimmer of hope for
CSOs call for repeal of Malaysia’s Sedition Act
A number of organizations sent a letter to Malaysia’s Home Affairs Minister and Minister of Law urging that the government repeal the Sedition Act, in
Restorative, teen-administered juvenile justice past and present
PRI: While 261,200 children are estimated to be in detention globally, child-specific justice legislation, child-friendly courts and specialised procedures continue to divert children away from the criminal justice system
Constitutional petition filed in Mozambique against privileged prison conditions for the rich
Maputo, 24 May 2023 – Today, 2000 Mozambican citizens, under the leadership of lawyer and human rights activist, Maria Alice Mabota, filed a petition before the Constitutional
Tunisia: Ghannouchi sentencing marks aggressive crackdown on Saied opposition
Amnesty International: A Tunisian court’s decision to sentence opposition figure Rached Ghannouchi to prison under Tunisia’s anti-terrorism law highlights an intensifying campaign against the country’s
Court decision is a blow to freedom of expression and independence of lawyers
Amnesty International: The Beirut Court of Appeals’ decision to dismiss the petition by lawyers seeking the annulment of apparently unconstitutional amendments to lawyers’ code of
APCOF delivers statement at ACHPR 75th Session
APCOF delivered a statement on behalf of the Campaign during the 75th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, held in Banjul and online.
Uganda’s Constitutional Court Holds Vagrancy Laws Unconstitutional
On 2 December 2022, in a ground-breaking decision for street vendors and other informal workers, the Constitutional Court of Uganda in Francis Tumwesige Ateenyi v Attorney
Malawi High Court declares unconstitutional the banning of dreadlocks in government schools
SALC: On 8 May 2023, the High Court of Malawi delivered a judgment declaring that the unwritten or written policy of the Government requiring all
Being homeless is not a crime — conflating criminality and homelessness is a dangerous stereotype
Ndifuna Ukwazi: Treating the life-sustaining activities of street-based people as a criminal nuisance, in the manner that the City of Cape Town’s by-laws do, will
National Homelessness Law Center responds to murder of Jordan Neely
(May 5, 2023, Washington, DC) – The National Homelessness Law Center is outraged over the strangulation and murder of Jordan Neely Monday, May 1, 2023. The Law
LGBTQ rights and inclusion amid Botswana’s constitutional review process
SALC: The Botswana courts are among the very few in Southern Africa that has set a trajectory in realizing and protecting LGBTIQ+ rights. In 2016,
False News or Free Speech: Protecting Freedom of Expression In Botswana
SALC: Publishing false news or alarming/misleading information, defined differently in different jurisdictions, has a long and infamous history. From ancient Rome to the present day,
Attacks on journalists on the rise as authorities seek to suppress press freedom
Amnesty International: Authorities across East and Southern Africa escalated their attacks against journalists and press freedom across the region to suppress reporting of corruption and
Call for inputs: Report on colonialism and sexual orientation and gender identity
The Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity (IE SOGI), Mr. Victor Madrigal-Borloz, will dedicate his report
Extrajudicial Killings in Nigeria, the unending circle
Hope Behind Bars: On February 17, 2023, viral social media allegations of extra-judicial killings led to the arrest of three police officers in Anambra state. CSP Patrick
Why are we still sending people to jail for being Poor? It’s time to truly abolish debtors’ prisons
FFJC: Imagine spending a week in jail for being unable to pay a bill. That’s what happened to Roxana Beck. After she pleaded guilty to
PALU 2023 Annual Conference announced
The Pan African Lawyers Union (PALU), the premier continental forum for lawyers and lawyers’ associations, which membership has grown exponentially and now comprises of over
CleanStart Founder awarded Elevate Prize 2023
CleanStart: Congratualations to Teresa Njoroge, the CEO & Founder of the CleanStart, for being awarded the coveted Elevate Prize. Through Clean Start, her innovative approach
APCOF submits amicus in support of challenge to Cape Town by-laws criminalising homelessness
APCOF has been admitted as amicus curiae in Gelderbloem and Others v City of Cape Town (WCHC 5708/21 and EC06/2021), which will be heard in
Report on Advocacy visit to Hisbah, Kano, Nigeria to decriminalize petty offences
Lawyers Alert with the support of the Open Society Initiative of West Africa (OSIWA) is implementing a project that seeks to deepen efforts at decriminalization
RTI key stakeholders validate CHRI’s Right To Information training manual for judges
From CHRI: Some selected judges and members of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have endorsed a Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) Right To Information (RTI) training
Freedom of Expression cannot be Suppressed, Urges Sierra Leone’s Civil Society
AdvocAid, L.A.W.Y.E.R.S., I.LR.A.J., A Girl At A Time, Amnesty International, and Girlz Empowered are concerned about the recent arrest of Zainab Sheriff who was arrested and detained for a video she posted online
Malaysia’s sedition irony
One of the Sultan of Malaysia’s purchased a painting depicting parliamentarians as apes and frogs, a commentary on floor crossing, with no consequence (top image).
Harm reduction, racial justice, Indigenous Peoples rights: UN Human Rights Council breaks new ground on drug policy
IDPC: History was made this week at the UN. The Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted the most ambitious and progressive resolution on drug policy to date,
Food, Housing, and Racial Justice Symposium
The Human Rights Clinic and Program at the University of Miami School of Law, in collaboration with the Human Rights Society, the Office of Intellectual
Morocco: Journalist faces three years in jail for Facebook post
From Amnesty International: Responding to the opening today of the trial of journalist Hanane Bakour who faces up to three years in prison and a
Namibia | Same-sex couples find community in their legal challenge
From SALC: Daniel Digashu, one-half of one of the two couples fighting for the right to be recognised by the Namibian state, writes about how they found
Nigerian Mental Health CSOs call for the decriminalisation of suicide
No fewer than 41 health Civil Society Organisations have called on the Nigerian Federal Government to end the criminalisation of suicide in the country. The
Malaysia seeks to decriminalize suicide attempts
KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia is seeking to decriminalize suicide attempts, its law minister said on Tuesday, the latest in a recent slew of legal reforms
USA: DC Council votes unanimously to decriminalize street vending
The measure passed Tuesday April 4, 2023, also creates vending zones, waives unpaid civil citations and streamlines the licensing process. It requires the mayor’s signature
Support. Don’t Punish Initiatives programme – Call for expressions of interest
Through this call, the Support. Don’t Punish campaign aims to identify and support local partners (up to 7) with funding of between USD 4,000 – 5,000 for
How harsh drug laws undermine health and human rights in Asia Pacific
From IDPC: Twenty-one countries in the [Asia Pacific] region operate either state-run compulsory detention and rehabilitation facilities for people who use drugs or similar facilities.
USA: New Mexico signs groundbreaking Fee Elimination Bill into Law
From Fines & Fees Justice Center: SANTA FE, NM – Last night, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed HB 139, which eliminates the post-adjudication and bench warrant
Draft French law increasing penalties for ‘squatting’ denounced by UN Special Rapporteurs
(30 March 2023) The UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Olivier De Schutter, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to
Will predictive systems profile you as a criminal?
Fair Trials: Police forces and criminal justice authorities across Europe are using data, algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) to ‘predict’ if certain people are at
“Call them crazy”: Criminalisation of activists undermines rule of law in the EU
From Fair Trials: The Dutch police continue to disregard the rule of law to criminalise the pacifist activist Frank van der Linde. In recent years,
Is Kenya going down a slippery slope?
From ICJ-K: On 27 March 2023, the Kenyan Section of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJKenya) continued to monitor and document the activities that unfolded
Protect Sex Worker’s Rights
SALC, CHREAA and FSWA call upon the Malawi Police Services and Government to consider police actions from the point of view of those most affected
Uganda: Reject anti-LGBTI law that criminalizes same-sex sexual activity
From Amnesty International: During the debate in the Parliament, MPs passed to impose life imprisonment punishment for same sex conduct, and 10 years for attempted
Campaign members denounce new law in Guinea-Bissau criminalising children begging
From ACJR & Reformar: It was reported from Guinea Bissau on 20 March 2023 that a new law will prohibit Islamic leaders using children for begging.
Webinar: Sub-National Government and the Criminalisation of Poverty & Status: Defining the problem
Partners ACJR, Lawyers Alert, CHREAA, LHR and ICJ-K hereby cordially invite you to the first of a series of webinars on sub-national governance and the
African Human Rights Yearbook Vol 6 released
The Pretoria University Law Press releases landmark publication of African Union Human Rights Bodies: African Human Rights Yearbook and launches call for contributions to 2023
Third-party intervention filed at the Community Court of Justice of ECOWAS
Amnesty International: On 22 March 2023, Amnesty International submitted a third-party intervention to the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African
The Campaign to Decriminalise Poverty and Status is a coalition of organisations from across the world that advocate for the repeal of laws that target people based on poverty, status or for their activism.
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