Campaigns

We campaign on issues that threaten the right to a fair trial or reinforce discrimination and inequality in criminal justice.

Protecting the rights of accused people 

Fair Trials campaigns to ensure that people’s right are protected from the moment of arrest, including by having access to a lawyer as soon as someone is taken into custody. We promote the implementation of the Méndez Principles for effective interviewing where they have the potential to transform existing interrogation practice, which too often remains coercive, inhumane and ineffective.

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Person arrested by police

The right to counsel

Having access to a lawyer is integral to the right to a fair trial. It helps to prevent unlawful arrests, police brutality and miscarriages of justice. Find out more about our campaign for arrested people to have access to legal counsel as soon as possible after they are arrested and before they are questioned by the police.

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Pre-trial detention

Right now, over three million people around the world are being held in prison while they wait for a trial. We want states to use pre-trial detention only as a last resort and for people to be detained for as short a time as possible before a trial.

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Plea bargaining

States are increasingly using plea bargains and trial waivers because their criminal legal systems can’t cope. We campaign for system reform and safeguards to protect people from being coerced into giving up their right to a trial.

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Artificial intelligence (AI), data and criminal justice

Technological developments are changing all aspects of criminal justice systems - from profiling, policing and arrest through to trials, sentencing and probation decisions. We campaign to make sure that technical advances do not have a negative impact on our right to a fair trial.

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INTERPOL

INTERPOL’s systems are being abused by governments to persecute refugees, journalists and peaceful political activists. INTERPOL needs to take action to prevent its systems being abused and be more transparent.

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COVID-19 Justice Campaign

The COVID-19 Justice Campaign is a global coalition created to resist and roll-back unaccountable criminal justice powers created during the pandemic.

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Extradition reform

Governments should have effective extradition arrangements so that they can fight serious cross-border crime and terrorism, but extradition laws must contain safeguards to ensure that basic human rights are respected.

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