Picture this: an overcrowded and under-resourced prison full of men, women, or even children who have not been found guilty. This is the case for three million people around the world currently affected by the excessive use of pre-trial detention.
In many countries, suspects are detained in prison almost automatically once they are arrested. Whatever the offence. Some, yes, are guilty. Many are poor and unjustly targeted. At Justice Defenders, we want to see justice served; it’s vital for all of us. What we don’t want to see is people filling our prisons simply because there was no one to equip them to fight for justice.
Justice Defenders is a registered UK charity and US nonprofit. Founded in 2007, we work across Africa, training incarcerated people and prison officers to become paralegals. Our 35 prison-based legal offices in Uganda, Kenya and The Gambia are run by more than 300 paralegals. By equipping justice defenders to facilitate a just legal process, we help ensure a fair hearing at the point of greatest need. As everyone deserves the right to tell their story.
