Updates Archives

Equal Access to Justice for All: A Fundamental Human Right
Jennifer Smith, ILF: Over the past year, the ILF has been working with the Campaign to Decriminalize Poverty and Status, civil society organizations, and independent

Campaign partner present policy paper at First African Regional Conference on Law Enforcement and Public Health
In December of 2024, APCOF, Freedoms Collective Trust and the Caribbean Centre for Human Rights presented a paper titled “Decriminalising public space governance: the role

Decriminalization of attempted suicide: A watershed moment in Kenya
ICJ-Kenya: Nairobi, KENYA – This past week, High Court Judge, Justice Lawrence Mugambi declared Section 226 of the Penal Code, which criminalizes attempted Suicide unconstitutional.

The legacy of the British legal system continues to inflict misery in Sierra Leone
Mara Kardas-Nelson writes for The Nation: Decades after independence, colonial-era laws have created a mass-incarceration crisis in Sierra Leone as poor citizens are thrown into

Press Release: Amicus Brief Filed In Iowa Supreme Court Low-Income Legal Fees Case
FFJC: Des Moines, Iowa — Last week, the Iowa Supreme Court allowed the ACLU of Iowa, the Fines and Fees Justice Center, and Public Justice to

Malawi High Court to consider challenge of criminal defamation
SALC: Lilongwe, Malawi – On 17 December 20204, the Malawi High Court will consider a challenge to the offence of criminal defamation under section 200 of

Hardknock life for sex workers
SALC: Despite operating in a country where prostitution is not a crime, Malawian sex workers continue to face rampant abuse and exploitation. What is a

Proposition 36: A step backward for justice in California
Stricter Penalties for Theft and Drug Offenses Target Vulnerable Populations, Worsening Homelessness and Addiction Invisible People: Last September, Donald Trump promised that, if reelected, “We will

Sub-national governance and the plight of women working in public spaces
Across the world and in Africa, women make up the majority of workers in the informal economy – mostly because of limited education, high levels

Who benefits from prison?
Prison Insider: On Saturday 29 June 2024, Prison Insider hosted a workshop on the human and social cost of prison in Haiti, Tunisia, Morocco, and

ECOWAS Court declares Sierra Leone’s loitering laws discriminatory and orders repeal
AdvocAid: Freetown, 7 November 2024: In a landmark judgment, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court of Justice has ruled in favour

Understanding the link between gender identity and homelessness
Invisible People: Why transgender individuals face higher risks of homelessness and how discrimination contributes to the growing crisis A growing number of gender nonconforming and

Launch of Practitioners’ Guide on the Decriminalisation of Poverty and Status
ICwS: The Institute of Commonwealth Studies (ICwS) and its partners, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Commonwealth Secretariat launched a new Practitioner’s Guide on the decriminalisation of poverty

A human rights-based approach to criminal law: Asia and Caribbean regional consultation
ICwS: On 9 and 10 September 2024, the Institute of Commonwealth Studies (ICwS) and its partners, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec), held

Africa Litigation Surgery: Pushing Back Against Authoritarian Regimes
ICJ-Kenya: NAIROBI, Kenya – The Africa Litigation Surgery Conference kicked off in earnest with delegates from across the continent converging in Kenya’s capital Nairobi. Under

Bangladesh: End punitive mass arrests and arbitrary detention of student leaders and protesters
Amnesty International: Responding to reports of the arrest and detention of student leaders, protest participants and members of opposition parties following the quota-reform protests, with

Malawi High Court upholds protection of undocumented immigrants from arbitrary and indefinite detention
SALC: 30 July 2024, Blantyre – Yesterday, the Mzuzu High Court ordered that 30 days should be the reasonable time envisaged under the Immigration Act within which deportation

UN states: Decriminalization of LGBTQ+ people saves lives
Joint Statement by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk and UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima As courts and parliaments in a number of countries are

US: Ninth Circuit Lifts Injunction: San Francisco Resumes Homeless Sweeps
Invisible People: San Francisco officials can begin conducting homeless sweeps again after the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals partially withdrew a preliminary injunction against the city

Malawi: Migrant children should be protected from detention
SALC & CHREAA: Although the Constitution of Malawi provides for the protection of all children including migrant children, the continuous detention of these migrant minors

Poverty a criminal offence in Malawi
SALC & CHREAA: Despite being a constitutional democracy, local authorities in Malawi continue to perpetuate the colonial legacy by criminalising poverty and inequality through the

National Homelessness Law Center Condemns Supreme Court Decision, Demands Real Solutions to Homelessness
NHLC: In a profoundly disappointing ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court today decided that the US Constitution does not protect homeless people against cruel and unusual

UN Experts: Governments must urgently scrap unfair laws criminalising homelessness and poverty
GENEVA (25 June 2024) – UN human rights experts have called on governments to scrap “cruel and counterproductive” laws that are leading to people living in homelessness

Ambiguous Laws and Freedom of Expression in Africa
SALC: Freedom of expression, a fundamental right crucial for open dialogue, critical thinking, and societal progress, is under threat in Africa due to outdated and

The truth behind Parliamentarians Enacting Conservative laws
SALC: In the last year, we have seen Parliaments in Africa enact laws that contradict court rulings in Namibia and Kenya. In Uganda, and Ghana, new laws go as far

A human rights-based approach to criminal law: Africa regional consultation
ICwS & ICJ: On 5 and 6 June 2024, the Institute of Commonwealth Studies (ICwS) and its partners, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Commonwealth

Campaign co-hosts UN CCPCJ side event on fines and fees
ILF: Around the world, criminal justice systems disproportionately penalize people who are poor, including through fines and fees. On May 15, 2024 on the sidelines

To comply or not to comply is not the question
SALC: Over the past five years, the highest courts in Namibia and Botswana have made significant decisions in favour of minority groups’ human rights through

Moldova: New definition of high treason passed by parliament threatens freedom of expression
Amnesty International: Reacting to news that Moldova’s parliament has passed amendments to the country’s Criminal Code which redefine “high treason,” Veaceslav Tofan, Executive Director of

Alternative justice system solution to backlog of cases
ICJ-Kenya: Nakuru, Kenya – Since time immemorial, Kenya’s culturally rich communities proudly championed and practiced their own forms of justice that was tethered in basic

Strengthening Civic Space in Africa
SALC: Despite significant successes by activists, the global anti-rights movement has swung the pendulum in favour of the increased use of the law and criminal

Nepal: District Court’s historic verdict a welcome step for justice for Dalit community
Amnesty International: Responding to the landmark verdict on 5 December on the killing of Nabaraj BK and five others by the West Rukum District Court

Law Center Statement on Today’s United Nations Report Decrying Ongoing Human Rights Abuses Against Unhoused People
National Homelessness Law Center: WASHINGTON, D.C. – (November 3, 2023) Today, the United Nations Human Rights Committee highlighted serious and ongoing patterns of human rights abuses —

Russia: Judgment labelling “LGBT movement” as “extremist” will have catastrophic consequences
Amnesty International: The Supreme Court’s ruling recognizes as “extremist” an undefined “international public LGBT movement.” This phrase, used by the Russian Ministry of Justice, appears to target

U.N. Calls for U.S. to Abolish Laws Criminalizing Homelessness
Invisible People: The United Nations Human Rights Committee recently called on U.S. officials to abolish laws criminalizing homelessness in concluding observations from the body’s fifth

Study Finds Homelessness Is Caused by High Cost of Living, Not Substance Abuse
Invisible People: Another study confirmed what many housing advocates already know: Homelessness is primarily caused by a lack of affordable housing, not substance abuse. The study, which

Call for input: Criminalisation of women due to poverty and status
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

It’s time for Kenya to decriminalise petty offences
ICJ-Kenya: NAIROBI,Kenya, – The distinction between petty offences and all other offences is that they are categorized as misdemeanours, now enshrined in law. Calls to

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

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

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

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

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

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 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,

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
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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Eswatini monarchy accused of silencing opponents
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 –

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

SERI launches a new publication reflecting on protest in South Africa
SERI: Protest has always been an important driver of social change in South Africa, before and since democracy. It has played a crucial role in

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’,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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
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.
@DecrimPS
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