Updates Archives

Black remand prisoners held 70% longer than white counterparts in England and Wales
Data also shows black defendants more likely to be held in prison – yet more likely to be acquitted Black defendants spend on average more

Rejecting the colonial legacy of discriminatory laws
States around the world should repeal discriminatory and archaic laws that reproduce historical inequalities and patterns of oppression. In 2018, Theresa May, then UK prime

Vagrancy Laws: Discrimination based on poverty and status
SALC: On 31 May 2023, 28 men were arrested in Harare CBD under the country’s vagrancy laws. These arrests raise the question of why vagrancy

AUC-NANHRI Policy Forum 2023
Addis Ababa, 18 May 2023: The African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the Network of African National Human Rights Institutions (NANHRI) organized the AUC-NANHRI Policy

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
Sex Workers in Africa Are More Vulnerable During COVID-19
The Global Fund Sex workers in Africa are among the communities suffering the most due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as lockdowns and police crackdowns leave
Why Criminal Justice Reforms are on Course
The Daily Nation By Grace Ngenye When I read the Daily Nation article (June 17, 2020) on the Committee on Criminal Justice Reforms (NCCJR), my
Judge rules that kids who possess or use cannabis cannot be criminals
Times Live A law that criminalises children who possess or use cannabis has been declared unconstitutional by a Johannesburg high court judge. Judge Ingrid Opperman
CSOs Call for Urgent Decongestion as Prisons Record COVID-19 Cases
On 14 July 2020, the Malawi Prison Service registered its first COVID-19 case at Mzimba Prison through a prisoner. On the same day, an inmate
Decongest prisons now!
The COVID-19 pandemic has again highlighted the urgent need to decongest prisons throughout Africa. Although many countries have initiated decongestion measures, there is a simultaneous
APCOF Statement- Special Rapporteur on Prisons Conditions of Detention and Policing in Africa
The African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum (APCOF) welcomes the opportunity to make this submission to the Special Rapporteur on Prisons, Conditions of Detention and Policing
Nigerian court rules against arrest of sex workers
A Nigerian court has voided the arrest of commercial sex workers in Abuja by law enforcement officials. The Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Justice
Street Vendors and Public Space: An interactive e-book
By: WIEGO Date: February 2020 Through photography and text, this e-book offers an in-depth look at the important role street vendors play in cities, the challenges
NEWS: ZAMBIA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS PRISONERS’ RIGHTS TO FOOD AND IMPROVED PRISON CONDITIONS
SALC : ANNEKE MEERKOTTER Lusaka, 16 December 2019 – The Supreme Court of Zambia on 9 December 2019 handed down an important judgment on prisoners’ rights.
Litigating to Protect the Rights of Poor and Marginalized Groups in Urban Spaces
Download PDF For centuries, and across the world, penal laws have been used to regulate urban spaces, with a cruel focus on relegating poor and
Protecting Malawi’s sex workers from police: ‘They say we’re sinners’
Although there is no law against prostitution in Malawi, sex workers routinely face abuse and wrongful arrest by police who give in to social stigma
Uganda Launches Coalition to Decriminalize Petty Offences
21 Civil society organizations have formed the Uganda Coalition to decriminalize petty offences. The coalition was formed at a 2-day retreat convened by the Human
UGANDA: Stop Arresting People For The Crime of “Idle and Disorderly”
H.E the President of the Republic of Uganda has directed that no person should be arrested for the crime of “idle and disorderly”. The President has
UGANDA: Scheduling Conference For ‘Rogue and Vagabond’ Petition Adjourned To 25th September 2019
Today the petition challenging the constitutionality of Section 168 (1) (c) and (d), of Uganda’s Penal Code Act, which creates the offence of ‘being rogue
NIGERIA: ‘Decriminalization of Petty Offences will Curb Prison Congestion’
By Hameed Oyegbade, Oshogbo The Deputy Director, Prison Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), Mrs Ogechi Ogu has observed that decriminalization of petty offences in Nigeria
KENYA:Drunk and disorderly: Poor Man’s Offence a Cash Cow for Police
By ERIC WAINAINA Weeks ago as Mr Kamau Mburu and other people were walking home shortly past 11 pm, they were rounded up in Kirigiti
KENYA: Petty Offences are Biased against the Poor
By Sarah Nyakio Seven out of 10 inmates in the country are petty offenders with the lowest case determination rates, the Annual Criminal Justice Conference
NHRC to Mitigate Excessive Use of Pre-trial Detention – ES
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will continue to highlight and push reforms to address alternative measures that may mitigate the excessive use of pre-trial
KENYA: Prison tales shed light on grim life of inmates
Enter a prison and brace yourself for the harsh experience of inmates imprisoned in colonial times. Not much has changed since the 1900s in terms
NIGERIA: Coalition seeks decriminalization of petty offences in Nigeria
Civil Society Organizations and Professional bodies in Nigeria have expressed worry at the rate poor and vulnerable Nigerians are facing the full wrath of the
KENYA: Number of Petty Offenders in Prisons Alarming
Mombasa senator Mohammed Faki has decried the increasing number of petty offenders congesting Kenyan prisons. Speaking in Mombasa Friday during the reopening of the Mombasa
NIGERIA: Prostitution, hawking ‘should not be treated as criminal offences’
Uju Agomoh, executive director of the Prisons Rehabilitation and Welfare Actions (PRAWA), says prostitution, hawking and loitering should not be treated as criminal offences. She
NIGERIA: Community service to reduce prison crowding
Nigeria is grappling with overcrowded prisons and a backlog in court cases. In a bid to change this, Oyo State is now punishing lighter crimes
Remedy to prison overcrowding identified
Mr Nelson Basubinin Duut, Director of Prisons Technical and Services, on Thursday suggested that Prison overcrowding could be addressed by decriminalizing petty offences in Ghana.
CHRAJ Calls for Decriminalization of Petty Offences
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has called on stakeholders in the Criminal Justice System to decriminalize and declassify petty offences in
KENYA: There are alternatives to criminal prosecution for the justice system
Recently, key criminal justice players in Kenya, led by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), pitched a tent in Lamu
GHANA: Government urged to set targets to reduce prison population
Mr Edmund Amarkwei Foley, a human rights activist, has urged the Government to set national targets to reduce the number of people in jail. He
NIGERIA: Stop jailing people for petty offences, PRAWA tells Lagos, others
An advocacy group, Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action, has called on the governments of Lagos, Abia, Enugu and Kano states as well as the Federal
There are Alternatives to Criminal Prosecution for the Justice System
Recently, key criminal justice players in Kenya, led by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP), pitched tents in Lamu County for a
No More Detention of Minor Offenders in New Bail Charter
Suspects accused of petty offences will no longer be held in custody or forced to pay cash bail, according to a new police charter. The offenders
Time to Declassify, Decriminalize Some Petty Offences
In May 2015, the Legal Resources Foundation Trust and the National Council on the Administration of Justice commissioned an audit into the criminal justice system
Shortcomings in Criminal Justice Exposed
Judiciary report is raising serious concerns over the number of cases being overturned on appeal, and the low number of suspects charged after arrests. The
Cops Ordered to Pay Sh7.8m to Victims of Arbitrary Arrest
The High Court has ordered six police officers to pay Sh4 million to a lawyer they had arrested and detained illegally. The officers will also
Decriminalise petty offences to reduce prison overcrowding
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 Rules
Hope for Convicts who are Victims of Harsh Criminal Justice
A number of convicts have walked to freedom after successfully appealing against being imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. The wheels of criminal justice
Serving Time Should Not Mean ‘Prison Slavery’
Since Aug. 21, prisoners across the United States have been on one of the largest prison strikes the nation has seen in years. They have
Madagascar’s Prison Shame
The concrete floor of a prison cell crawls with bodies as detainees labour to draw their limbs closer to their torsos. The little light illuminating

Principles on the Declassification and Decriminalization of Petty Offences in Africa
The criminal justice system in many African countries is characterized by widespread criminalization and punishment of petty offenses through arbitrary arrests which provides a basis

Challenging constitutionality of rogue and vagabond offence
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
Study proposes decriminalizing traffic offences to cut case backlog
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
Taskforce to oversee execution of instant traffic fines formed
The government has formed a task force to oversee the implementation of rules to enforce instant fines for traffic offences following a court order that
Hawking is employment and a socioeconomic right, not crime
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
India’s Supreme Court strikes down colonial-era homosexuality ban in landmark ruling
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
Hawking is employment and a socioeconomic right, not crime
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
INDIA: Supreme Court verdict is ‘call for action’ to Commonwealth Nations bound to colonial laws: CHRI
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
Study proposes decriminalizing traffic offences to cut case backlog
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
Jail isn’t right place for the mentally ill
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
KENYA:The bribery economy; how petty offenders have been made cash cows
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 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
#DecrimPoverty | #DecrimStatus | #DecrimActivism
