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Why a Piecemeal Approach to Criminal Justice Reform in Nigeria Won’t Work
On the surface, a proposal that could free people held in prolonged prerial detention in Nigeria looks good, but it won’t deliver genuine reform of a dysfunctional system.
Case Watch: Hungary Now Requires Real Opportunity to Access a Lawyer
Most countries have legislation stating that all people arrested by the police have the right to see a lawyer before they are interrogated. But law and practice are often very different things. Consider the case of Hungary.
Case Watch: European Court Recognizes a Mother’s Suffering as Inhuman Treatment
In a recent decision, the court took an unprecedented step in recognizing how excessive pretrial detention carries repercussions beyond the holding cells.
High Stakes in Mexico’s Choice on Justice System Reform
New justice reforms could help reduce overcrowding in Mexico’s state prisons, but only if the changes include an effective system for managing pretrial release.
Justice 2015: How Justice Impacts Development
Justice is recognized by scholars, practitioners, and governments as having a positive effect on development. This fact sheet outlines how support for justice has aided progress on the current Millennium Development Goals.
Justice 2015: Justice Plays a Fundamental Role in Eliminating Poverty
Justice is out of reach for too many people, taking a toll on development. This fact sheet makes the case for including a justice goal in the post-2015 development agenda.
Immigration Crackdown in Stockholm Provokes Pushback
Police in Stockholm have been accused of ethnic profiling as they step up identity checks; activists have responded by using social media to track police movements.
Making Headway with Pretrial Justice
The provision of effective pretrial justice has in the past not received the attention it merits from both governments and international aid donors. But there are encouraging signs of change.
Fact Sheet: Improving Pretrial Justice in Mexico
Over 40 percent of prisoners in Mexico are awaiting trial. To address the problem, the state of Morelos worked with the Open Society Justice Initiative to establish a program to manage supervised pretrial release.
Fact Sheet: Improving Pretrial Justice in Nigeria
Nigeria’s prisons are notoriously overcrowded. This fact sheet outlines a project launched in 2005 by the NGO REPLACE, aiming to reduce the prison population and shorten the length of pretrial detention.
Fact Sheet: Improving Pretrial Justice in Malawi
A pilot project in Malawi is demonstrating how legal assistance can be provided in a cost effective way by paralegals.
Fact Sheet: How Pretrial Detention Stunts Socioeconomic Development
The excessive and arbitrary use of pretrial detention critically undermines socioeconomic development—and is especially harmful to the poor.
Fact Sheet: Pretrial Detention and the Risk of Torture
Of the nearly ten million people in detention around the world, those held before trial or conviction are most at risk of torture.
Fact Sheet: Pretrial Justice and Paralegals in Sierra Leone
The majority of Sierra Leone's prison population is in pretrial detention. To reduce the numbers, a local NGO is piloting a prorgam that provides early legal assistance to criminal defendants.
Fact Sheet: Pretrial Detention and Corruption
Locking up prisoners for extended periods while awaiting trial feeds corruption; bribes are needed for food and water, for blankets and even to see a lawyer.
The UN Guidelines and Principles on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems
Five reasons why the new UN Guidelines and Principles on Legal Aid are groundbreaking and progressive.
Case Watch: European Court Rules on Torture and Extradition
Two recent cases against Russia illustrate the way the European Court of Human Rights assesses claims that an applicant cannot be extradited to a third country because they would be at risk of torture.
Access to Justice Advances in Ukraine
Ukraine has launched its first comprehensive national legal aid system, providing free legal advice to anyone who cannot afford to pay for a laywer.
Why Violence in Africa Presents an Existential Threat
Advocates seeking a more open and democratic society in Africa have mostly failed to grasp the extent of the threat posed by violence.
Submission to the UN on Ethnic Profiling in Spain
This submission details the extent and impact of ethnic profiling on minorities in Spain, and how these practices violate international human rights standards.
