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Oaxaca Moves Toward Use of Pretrial Release
Judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys gathered to discuss the implementation of new reforms that allow pretrial release of prisoners at a training led by the Open Society Justice Initiative and its Mexican partner organization, Renace.
Open Society Justice Initiative Hails Mauritania's New Antislavery Law
The passage of an antislavery bill in Mauritania is an encouraging sign, but the Open Society Justice Initiative notes that it contains weaknesses that could undermine enforcement efforts.
Reflections on Twenty Years in Human Rights: The Rule of Law Movement in the Age of Terror
Open Society Justice Initiative executive director James A. Goldston looks at the impact of the war on terror on the effort to establish and consolidate the rule of law worldwide.
Chile's Highest Court Finds a Constitutional Right of Access to Information
Chile's highest court issued a seminal ruling, declaring that the right of access to government information is protected by the constitution's guarantee of freedom of expression, according to Open Society Justice Initiative.
Recent Developments at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia
A report released by the Open Society Justice Initiative looks closely at recent events—including the arrest of Kaing Guek Eav (alias Duch)—at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia.
Legal Aid Law Adopted in Moldova
The Moldovan parliament voted unanimously to approve a new legal aid law developed by a working group which benefited from extensive consultations with the Open Society Justice Initiative.
Statelessness
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees must help resolve situations of protracted statelessness, and make clear that citizenship is a fundamental right that may not be denied arbitrarily, for discriminatory reasons, or where it results...
Central Asian Lawyers Trained to Fight Torture by the Open Society Justice Initiative
To address the widespread problem of authorities extracting confessions through torture in central Asia, the Open Society Justice Initiative is convening a seminar for lawyers in the region.
New Report by the Open Society Justice Initiative Finds Critical Needs at Khmer Rouge Tribunal
The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia must take urgent action to address serious challenges confronting the court, according to a report released by the Open Society Justice Initiative.
New Legal Aid Law Adopted in Georgia
A new legal aid law adopted in Georgia introduces a full-fledged model of public defenders as legal aid providers, a development praised by the Open Society Justice Initiative.
Football Brings Georgian Prosecutors Closer to Community
A football tournament—part of a community prosecution project undertaken jointly by the Open Society Justice Initiative and the Office of the Prosecutor-General of Georgia—demonstrated how law enforcement and prosecutors can foster better...
Draft Legal Aid Law Unveiled in Kyrgyzstan
The administration of the president of Kyrgyzstan today officially presented a new draft law on legal aid, with input from the Open Society Justice Initiative.
"I Can Stop and Search Whoever I Want"—Police Stops of Ethnic Minorities in Bulgaria, Hungary and Spain
Combining statistics, first-person accounts, and policy recommendations, this Open Society Justice Initiative book makes clear that ethnic profiling occurs in all three countries and is ineffective in combating crime.
Urgent Action Needed on Rules for Khmer Rouge Tribunal
In an open letter to the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia, the Open Society Justice Initiative and other civil society group urge the court to adopt internal rules of procedure that satisfy international standards for the holding...
Freedom of Information Bill Advances in Nigeria
In an effort to guarantee Nigerian citizens the right to access government-held information, the Open Society Justice Initiative hailed the Nigerian parliament's final approval of a harmonized freedom of information bill and called on President...
Second Public Defender Office Launched in Ukraine
Ukraine's second pilot public defender office was launched last week in Bila Tsirkva, an initiative that is part of a project on legal aid reform in Ukraine operated by the Open Society Justice Initiative and the International Renaissance Foundation.
Corruption Allegations at Khmer Rouge Court Must Be Investigated Thoroughly
Corruption allegations leveled at Cambodian judges and court officials at the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia must be investigated thoroughly, writes the Open Society Justice Initiative.
Urgent Action Needed on Rules for Khmer Rouge Court
Urgent action is needed to ensure the timely adoption of rules to govern the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia according to the Open Society Justice Initiative.
Public Defenders from Seven Nations Gather for Training
Over 30 public defenders from seven countries gathered for a workshop on improving public defense services convened by the Open Society Justice Initiative.
Europe's Highest Court Hears Oral Arguments in Landmark Segregation Case
The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights heard arguments on a case launched by 18 Roma children forced to attend racially segregated schools in the Czech Republic, in one of the most important cases ever to come before the court,...