UN Human Rights Council adopts resolution
Proper file and data management is among the calls made to states in this resolution. Proper data collection is a key ACJR interest.
‘Human Rights in the administration of justice, including juvenile justice’ Resolution
ACJR's Gwen Dereymaeker presentation made at the seminar organised by the South African Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services on super-maximum prisons on 7 September 2017 at the Durban Correctional Centre.
Conference addresses Discriminatory Petty Offences in Africa
ACJR participated in the 8th Annual Conference of the Pan African Lawyers Union Seminar focusing on Initiatives for the Decriminalisation and Declassification of Petty Offences in Africa held in Durban, South Africa from 5 – 8 July 2017.
Lusaka launch of socio-economic impact study attended by Deputy Commissioner of Correctional Services
The Deputy Commissioner gave the keynote address on behalf of the Commissioner, Mr Percy Chato. Mr Godfrek Malembeka welcomed the attendees on behalf of the Board of the Legal Resources Foundation.
ACJR collaborates with Mozambican NGOs
Lukas Muntingh and Jean Redpath shared experiences of measuring performance and proposal writing with a range of Mozambican NGO's.
Mozambique's Judicial Training Institute hears perspectives on constitutionality and bail
ACJR researchers Gwen Dereymaeker and Kristen Petersen shared the results of their comparative investigations into the constitutionality of criminal procedures, and bail regimes, in selected African countries, to judges at the Centro de Formação Jurídica e Judiciaria (Judicial Training Institute) of Mozambique. ACJR associate Tina Lorizzo, of REFORMAR, presented the results relevant to Mozambique in particular.
Maputo launch of socio-economic impact study attended by Minister of Justice
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional and Religious Affairs, Isaque Chande, as well as the Vice President of the Supreme Court, Dr. João Beirão, attended the Maputo launch of the report on 6 June 2017.
ACJR takes JICS delegation on an oversight study tour to London, UK
From 8 to 12 May 2017, ACJR staff Lukas Muntingh and Gwen Dereymaeker took a delegation of the South African Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS) to London, United Kingdom, on a study tour. The objective of the study tour was to engage with UK oversoght institutions to identify successes and challenges in the South African prison oversight structure.
Gwen Dereymaeker presents paper the 6th YCC Annual Conference at Koç University (Turkey)
ACJR researcher Gwen Dereymaeker presented a paper on the constitutional compliance with international human rights law and the criminal justice process at the 6th Annual Conference of the Younger Comparativists Committee of the American Society for Comparative Law, which took place at Koç University in Istanbul, Turkey.
The Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative (CSPRI) was established in 2003 to address the research and advocacy gaps around imprisonment and human rights in South Africa. Since the late 2000s the project expanded its scope geographically as well as thematically. ‘Civil Society Prison Reform Initiative’ no longer reflects its work and the name is to be changed to ‘Africa Criminal Justice Reform’ and will be referred to as Organisation pour la Réforme de la Justice Pénale en Afrique (in French) and Organização para a Reforma da Justiça Criminal em África (in Portuguese).
To what extent do countries make constitutional rights real in law? CSPRI has published reports on 5 African countries as well as a comparative report on the question of the extent to which countries ensure their laws are in accordance with their recently adopted constitutions.
Lieutenant-General Khombinkosi Jula, the Western Cape Commissioner of Police, has announced that an additional 1140 police officials will be deployed in the Western Cape, with 790 being deployed in seven priority areas, including Khayelitsha, Bishop Lavis, Delft, Harare, Manenberg, Nyanga and Mfuleni. The relatively low allocation of resources to these and other township areas is the subject of a case currently before the Equality Court, for which CSPRI researcher Jean Redpath is an expert witness.
Kenya Audit validated by National Council
A comprehensive audit of the criminal justice system in Kenya points toward avenues for reform.
CSPRI-PPJA hosts workshop on constitutionality and indicators
Figuring out where reforms should be targeted requires a thorough understanding of human rights and how those are reflected in national constitutions. Measuring the progress of reform efforts requires an understanding of indicators and measurement. A CSRPI-PPJA workshop held in June 2016 aimed to raise the bar on both.
At a seminar held in Nairobi, representatives from the National Council heard the findings, provided input and validated the finalisation of a comprehensive audit of the criminal justice system in Kenya. The report was prepared by Legal Resources Foundation Kenya, Resources Oriented Development Initiative Kenya, and CSPRI.
The UN Human Rights Committee published its concluding observations following South Africa's review in March 2016. Key points raised in the Alternate Report coordinated by CSPRI were among the concluding observations.
The UN Human Rights Committee is the body mandated to oversee the implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in states party to the Covenant.
Around 1000 prisoners were pardoned by the President during his State of the Nation address in December 2015. While these pardons offer temporary relief for the overburdened penitentiary system, implementation of more comprehensive measures, which form part of ongoing legal reform, will be necessary to effect real change.
Paper on arrest in Africa released
PPJA has released a paper exploring the issues around arrest in Africa. The paper considers the historical roots of policing in Africa and how these have been translated in the post-colonial context. The paper suggests not all people are at an equal risk of arrest, but rather that it is the poor, powerless and out-groups that are at a higher risk of arrest. The report concludes with a number of recommendations, calling for further research, decriminalisation of certain offences, and restructuring of the police in African countries.
The CSPRI presentation "Toward the rational allocation of policing resources" builds on work done for the Khayelitsha Commission and presents new data analysing the situation in KwaZulu-Natal.
CSPRI researcher Gwénaëlle Dereymaeker presented CSPRI's research findings on South Africa's anti-torture legislative framework at the Pan-African seminar hosted by REDRESS in Nairobi, Kenya, on 28-29 September.
CSPRI researcher Jean Redpath provided insights around the problem of pre-trial detention in the African context, with particular emphasis on problems in measuring the impact of interventions and of policy change.
A delegation from CSPRI contributed to the Committee's strategic planning session held on 15 September 2015.
Do sustainable development goals mean better funding for access to justice organisations?
Heads of state and government will gather at the United Nations in New York from 25-27 September 2015 for a three-day summit to endorse the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development - the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Judgment was recently handed down by the Port Elizabeth High Court in the much publicised St Alban’s case, as it became known, which emanates from an alleged mass assault of prisoners at the St Alban’s prisons in Port Elizabeth in July 2005.
CSPRI releases fact sheet explaining Oscar Pistorius' possible release
South Africa has specific sentencing provisions which read together the Correctional Services Act, determine how soon someone may be released on correctional supervision.
This submission deals with South Africa’s performance in relation to, and compliance with, international standards with reference to offender management, offender rehabilitation and independent monitoring. The submission was requested by the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services (the Portfolio Committee).
"Long list" of indicators proposed toward pre-trial justice in Africa
At a seminar held in Cape Town in May 2015, participants from PPJA partner organisations discussed indicators for measuring pre-trial justice in Africa. A "long-list" of draft proposed indicators was agreed upon by the end of the seminar. Further consultations are planned to expand the extent of consultation and to refine the proposed indicators.
Malawi launches new criminal justice case flow system
Mobile training unit members were trained in the last week of July 2015 on the new registers, case folders and court diary, designed to ensure pre-trial detainees do not get "lost" and that time limits in the criminal justice system are met.
