Newsroom
The Open Society Justice Initiative pursues strategic litigation and engages in policy advocacy in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. Read our News Releases and Advocacy Updates on our work.
Hungary Backslides on Arrest Rights
The Open Society Justice Initiative is deeply concerned by new legislation that allows suspects in serious crime cases to be held for up to 48 hours without access to defense counsel, and up to 5 days without court review.
July 06, 2011Statement on Pretrial Detention and Discrimination
Advocates including the Open Society Foundations speak out on the estimated three million people around the world behind bars awaiting trial—many of whom are from the poorest and most marginalized sectors of society.
December 10, 2010Presumption of Innocence in Mexico Project Launches Studies on Pretrial Detention
Mexico's widespread overuse of pretrial detention is costly, harmful, and ineffective. It is also unjust. To combat this problem, the Open Society Justice Initiative today launched a series of publications on pretrial justice in coordination with...
August 26, 2010EU Must Fix Flawed Criminal Justice Systems
Many people suspected or accused of crimes across Europe are unaware of their rights and routinely prevented from mounting an effective defense, according to an Open Society Justice Initiative report.
June 24, 2010Global Campaign for Pretrial Justice at UN Crime Conference
The Open Society Justice Initiative drew attention to the plight of pretrial detainees at the 12th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
April 30, 2010New Book Examines Human Costs of Pretrial Detention in Mexico
A new book explores the human toll of pretrial detention in Mexico through the stories of people who needlessly suffer in jail, sometimes for years, while awaiting trial.
October 16, 2008AIDS Conference Looks at Pretrial Detention as a Public Health Issue
Two sessions at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City explored the role of pretrial detention in spreading disease.
September 10, 2008New Report from Turkey Finds Accused Lack Legal Representation
An empirical study of legal aid in Istanbul jointly undertaken by the Open Society Justice Initiative and Istanbul Bilgi University found that only 10 percent of criminal defendants in Istanbul are represented by a lawyer.
April 06, 2008