Criminal Justice and Fair Trial

The Execution of Justice in Venezuela

The Execution of Justice in Venezuela

In 2009, Judge María Lourdes Afiuni released a political prisoner on bail. Hours after the judgment was delivered, the late President Hugo Chávez appeared on national television, labelling Afiuni a...
The Pornography of Policing: The “Rape Bait”

The Pornography of Policing: The “Rape Bait”

In Bombay, two men posing as cops raped a 17-year-old girl and filmed the violence they perpetrated on the phone they stole from her. Her assailants subsequently threatened to release...
Glossip v Gross: Taking Up Justice Breyer’s Call to Question the Death Penalty

Glossip v Gross: Taking Up Justice Breyer’s Call to Question the Death Penalty

Last month the United States Supreme Court ruled in Glossip v. Gross 135 S. Ct. 2726 (2015) that the use of midazolam in Oklahoma’s injection protocol was not unconstitutional under...
The Mandatory Death Penalty and Narratives of the Common Law

The Mandatory Death Penalty and Narratives of the Common Law

Some people say the common law is all about narrative. A story gets told, then retold and retold and with each retelling it changes a little. Most of the work...
"You Have the Right to an Attorney that We Approve of”: Right to Counsel under Iran's New Criminal Procedure Code

"You Have the Right to an Attorney that We Approve of”: Right to Counsel under Iran's New Criminal Procedure Code

Under Iran’s new Criminal Procedure Code only lawyers pre-approved by the Head of the Judiciary may intervene during the investigation stage in security related cases. This is a huge blow...
Glossip v. Gross: SCOTUS Affirmation of Underdeveloped Science for the Lifeline of the Death Penalty

Glossip v. Gross: SCOTUS Affirmation of Underdeveloped Science for the Lifeline of the Death Penalty

On 29 June 2015, in Glossip v. Gross 576 U. S. ____ (2015), Justice Alito gave the majority opinion (joined by Roberts C.J., and Scalia, Kennedy and Thomas, J.J.), which...
Imprisoning Children: Against Lowering the Age of Criminal Responsibility in Brazil

Imprisoning Children: Against Lowering the Age of Criminal Responsibility in Brazil

The Brazilian House of Representatives is on a fast track to adopt a constitutional amendment (PEC 171/1993) by the end of this month to lower the age of criminal responsibility...
The Death Penalty for Foreign Nationals and Migrant Workers

The Death Penalty for Foreign Nationals and Migrant Workers

On 16th and 17th June, 2015, a group of experts met in Geneva to address the issue of foreign nationals, including migrant workers, facing the death penalty abroad. The meeting...
Addressing ‘Revenge Porn’ in Namibia

Addressing ‘Revenge Porn’ in Namibia

In recent years, there have been reports of sexually explicit material involving Namibian citizens and residents circulating on social media platforms. This is usually circulated without consent. The practice has...
Euthanasia Case in South Africa: Does the Right to Life Include the Right to Die with Dignity?

Euthanasia Case in South Africa: Does the Right to Life Include the Right to Die with Dignity?

On the 5th May 2015, the Pretoria High Court delivered a judgment in Stransham-Ford v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services and Others that marks a significant step towards the...
Gaughran v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland: the Need for Evidence-Based Reasoning

Gaughran v Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland: the Need for Evidence-Based Reasoning

The UK Supreme Court has recently held that the indefinite retention of the DNA profiles of convicted adults does not violate article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights...
The Prior Sanction Requirement Under Indian Public Law

The Prior Sanction Requirement Under Indian Public Law

On 27 April 2015, the Supreme Court of India (SC) passed judgment in D.T. Virupakshappa v. C. Subhash, a case concerning government sanction prior to the prosecution of police officers...

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