Israel: Blogger Accused of Defaming and Insulting Public Servants via...
(June 21, 2019) On May 2, 2019, Israel’s Supreme Court ordered the release from prison of a blogger (the appellant) pending trial under conditions of house arrest and restrictions on internet use,...
View ArticleItaly: Requirement to Complete Two-Thirds of Sentence to Obtain Early Release...
(Dec. 16, 2019) On November 8, 2019, the Italian Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional a provision of Law No. 354 of July 26, 1975 (article 58-quater, paragraph 4) requiring that persons...
View ArticleMexico: Executive Branch to Propose Criminal Justice System Reforms to Senate
(Jan. 27, 2020) On January 15, 2020, the Mexican Senate announced that it will receive a proposal from the executive branch aimed at comprehensively reforming aspects of Mexico’s criminal justice...
View ArticlePeru: President Enacts Decree Changing Requirements for Foreigners Convicted...
(Jan. 31, 2020) On January 23, 2020, the president of Peru, Martín Vizcarra, with the approval of the Council of Ministers, enacted Emergency Decree 018-2020 to change the prerequisites for foreigners...
View ArticleFinland: Parliamentary Ombudsman Tells Ministry of Justice to Clarify...
(Feb. 4, 2020) On October 30, 2019, Finland’s Deputy Ombudsman issued Decision 5349/2019, in which it criticized the smoking prohibition provision of the Finnish Prison Act as ambiguous and called for...
View ArticleFrance: European Court of Human Rights Finds France in Violation of European...
(Feb. 26, 2020) On January 30, 2020, the European Court of Human Rights (E.C.H.R.) found that France was in violation of the European Convention of Human Rights because of poor conditions of detention...
View ArticleNew Zealand: Bill to Restore Voting Rights for Some Prisoners Introduced
(Mar. 6, 2020) On February 25, 2020, the New Zealand government introduced the Electoral (Registration of Sentenced Prisoners) Amendment Bill in the Parliament. The bill amends the Electoral Act 1993...
View ArticleMexico: OAS International Forum on Prisons Spurs Mexican Reform Bills
(Mar. 12, 2020) On February 6, 2020, the Organization of American States (OAS) released a statement summarizing the results of a Meeting of Officials Responsible for the Penitentiary and Prison...
View ArticleMexico: President Urges Approval of Amnesty Law Because of Coronavirus...
(Apr. 24, 2020) On April 15, 2020, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador urged Mexico’s Senate to pass the Amnesty Law to prevent the massive spread of the coronavirus in the country’s 17...
View ArticleMexico: President Signs Law Granting Amnesty to Criminals Incarcerated for...
(Apr. 24, 2020) On April 22, 2020, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador signed into law a bill passed by Mexico’s Senate two days earlier granting amnesty to persons incarcerated for the...
View ArticleTurkey: New Parole Measure Expected to Significantly Lower Prison Population
(Apr. 28, 2020) On April 14, 2020, the Parliament of Turkey passed Law No. 7242 amending Law No. 5275 on the Execution of Penal and Security Measures. The amendments include both provisions that are...
View ArticlePhilippines: Supreme Court Holds First Virtual Session, Addresses Petition to...
(Apr. 30, 2020) On April 17, 2020, the Philippine Supreme Court held a virtual en banc session for the first time in its history in order to address an urgent petition requesting the release of elderly...
View ArticleItaly: Decree-Law Institutes Alternative Penitentiary Measures to Combat...
(June 10, 2020) On May 11, 2020, Decree-Law No. 29 (D. L. No. 29), which had been issued the previous day by the president of Italy to institute new penitentiary measures aimed at reducing COVID-19...
View ArticleItaly: Supreme Court of Cassation Issues Decision on Rights of Detained Persons
(June 26, 2020) On May 22, 2020, the Italian Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) issued a decision declaring unconstitutional a provision imposing a radical ban on communication between incarcerated...
View ArticleItaly: New Law Including Measures on Home Detention or Postponement of...
(July 27, 2020) On June 30, 2020, a new law containing a provision on the adjustment of penal sentences because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other miscellaneous provisions entered into force in Italy....
View ArticleSaudi Arabia: Flogging and Death Abolished as Ta‘zeer Penalties
(Aug. 3, 2020) On July 15, 2020, the director of the Human Rights Commission of Saudi Arabia, Awwad bin Saleh, announced that the commission is planning to launch a number of initiatives to highlight...
View ArticleFrance: Constitutional Court Finds Arrested Persons Have Constitutional Right...
(Oct. 28, 2020) In a decision of October 2, 2020, the Conseil constitutionnel (Constitutional Council), France’s high court for constitutional questions, found that the absence of judicial recourse for...
View ArticleItaly: New Law Contains Measures on Visas, Territorial Waters, Virtual...
(Jan. 22, 2021) On December 20, 2020, Italy’s government issued Law No. 173 of December 18, 2020, which contains new measures concerning visas, vessels in territorial waters, virtual proceedings in...
View ArticleItaly: Miscellany of Measures Enacted to Fight Covid-19 Pandemic
(Jan. 28, 2021) On October 28, 2020, Italy’s government issued Decree Law No. 137, which introduced additional measures to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic. Among the topics these measures address are...
View ArticleNicaragua: Constitution Amended to Establish Life Imprisonment for Hate Crimes
(Feb. 26, 2021) On January 19, 2021, an amendment to Nicaragua’s Constitution establishing life sentences for hate crimes entered into force. The amendment adds a second paragraph to article 37 of the...
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