JAIL MAIL : Nelson Mandela Day 2021

The UN General Assembly in its resolution revising the UN Standard Minimum Rules for Treatment of Prisoners 1955, accepted 18th July as the Nelson Mandela International Day and extended its scope to promote human condition of imprisonment.

CHRI at HRC47: Oral statement in UPR Report Consideration of Saint Kitts and Nevis (Agenda Item 6)

9 July 2021, Geneva: CHRI was among the five civil society organisations that submitted an video statement in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Report Consideration of Saint Kitts and Nevis at the 47th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. In the statement delivered by Ms.

CHRI at HRC47: Oral statement in UPR Report Consideration of Nauru (Agenda Item 6)

9 July 2021, Geneva : CHRI delivered an oral statement in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Report Consideration of Nauru.  With a detailed analysis of the background and the relevant documents submitted and considered in the review process, the statement delivered by Ms.

CHRI at HRC47: Joint oral statement with FORUM-ASIA in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression (Agenda Item 3)

2 July 2021, Geneva: CHRI along with the Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) delivered an oral statement in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression, Ms. Irene Khan. statement was based on our reflections on the Special Rapporteur's report identifying the complex challenges posed by disinformation.

CHRI at HRC47: Oral Statement in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children (Agenda Item 3)

30 June 2021, Geneva: CHRI made a video intervention in the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Ms. Siobhán Mullally.p; The statement was based on our analysis of the findings in her latest annual report presented to the UN Human Rights Council on the 'Implementation of the Non-Punishment Principle'.

Tribute to Edward Mortimer, CHRI's International Board member and former aide to the late Kofi Annan, UN SG

Edward Mortimer, former CHRI International Board member, journalist,  speech writer to the late Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General,  author and member of All Souls College, Oxford University, has passed away in England, aged 77.

CHRI Marks World Day Against Child Labour

Today the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) marks the World Day Against Child Labour with the release of a new video, ‘A conversation with Homes of Hope Fiji, Aparajeyo-Bangladesh and NACTAL Nigeria’. As Secretariat to the Commonwealth 8.7 Network, CHRI spoke with member organisations that work to end child labour and exploitation in Fiji, Bangladesh, and Nigeria.

Jail Mail-Release of CHRI’s Report ‘Disconnected: Videoconferencing and Fair Trial’

Restricted functioning of physical courts owing to the pandemic has resulted in courts experimenting with videoconference hearings. Conducting criminal trials through videoconferencing however can result in several fair trial rights being compromised.

International Director’s Message on the Release of CHRI’s Report ‘Disconnected: Videoconferencing and Fair Trial Rights’

Courts across the world have had to adapt to virtual hearings as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and its associated restrictions. While many justify this as necessary, due to the hazards of in person hearings, studies from various jurisdictions have highlighted that fair trial rights are compromised during virtual criminal proceedings.