Introducing Fair Trials' Global CEO Norman L. Reimer
"I'm very excited to join Fair Trials at what I believe is a pivotal moment for criminal justice globally.
"Over the last 18 months, the threats to the right to a fair trial have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
People who have been accused of crimes have not been able to access lawyers or attend their hearings. Trials have been delayed and in many countries pre-trial detention rates have increased, while prison conditions have deteriorated. These factors have reinforced the existing discrimination that is entrenched in criminal legal systems everywhere.
But we are also seeing the rise of global movements that are challenging injustice and inequality. As the reports and films included in this newsletter show, Fair Trials has a crucial role to play in criminal justice reform and I look forward to working with partners around the world to fight for fair, just and equal criminal legal systems."
Fiqiri was arrested for something that wasn’t actually a crime. By the time he found out, he’d already been coerced into pleading guilty and giving up his right to a trial. More and more European countries are using trial waivers to process cases quickly, regardless of whether people are innocent or guilty. Watch Fiqiri’s story:
Fair Trials has worked with partners in Albania, Cyprus, Hungary, Italy and Slovenia to examine the impact of trial waiver systems on the right to a fair trial. Watch our webinar to find out more about the project’s findings and recommendations.
The Mendez Principles guarantee that the physical and mental integrity of every interviewed person are respected. What are these principles? How do they help fight against impunity and the use of torture? With our partners, we held a webinar to explore these questions and examine the practical implementation of the principles. Watch the webinar (in Spanish) here.
What happens when evidence is obtained unlawfully? The answer is crucial, as it can result in a person being convicted or cleared, in trust in criminal justice systems being undermined or strengthened, and in human rights being either respected or ignored.
With our partners in Belgium, Croatia, Ireland, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden, we have examined the current practices in the EU and the solutions which could improve access to effective remedies. Read the findings in our new report and watch the launch event to find out more (Part One and Part Two).
Our Automating Injusticereport, and calls for a ban on the use of artificial intelligence for predictive policing, were covered by Computer Weekly, Reuters and TechCrunch. In an opinion piece for the EU Observer, Laure Baudrihaye-Gérard wrote about proposals to expand Europol's powers and the threat this poses to fair trials. Last month, we wrote to INTERPOL over concerns that a Red Notice could be used to arrest the journalist Clare Rewcastle-Brown when she visited Spain, as reported in the Telegraph. An article in the Guardian outlined how INTERPOL is being used by oppressive regimes. Other media organisations, including the New Arab, have reported our fears about Syria re-joining INTERPOL.