Liberia: Violence, Discrimination and Impunity
The justice system (Amnesty International 9/05 Report on Liberia)
UNMIL’s mandate includes assisting the transitional government to develop, in cooperation with judicial institutions, a strategy for consolidating a national legal framework. The objective is to develop and implement pragmatic solutions for the problems and challenges facing Liberia’s justice system – including re-establishment of the Law School – with the overall aim of restoring the rule of law. The Legal and Judicial Division of UNMIL, present since early 2004, has made assessments of the system, as have other UN agencies, the US Department of Justice, and international non governmental organizations such as the Open Society Justice Initiative. Despite the many assessments undertaken so far only the Legal and Judicial Division has provided support through technical expertise.
The assessments highlight the lack of sufficiently qualified personnel and a low level of professionalism, resources and incentives for judges, prosecutors, lawyers and others in the judicial system. There has been little oversight of their work in the past, contributing substantially to the lack of capacity in this sector. Few people in Liberia have access to the justice system. Prisons and police detention facilities are overcrowded, and most of the inmates are detained without charge or trial. Hardly any detainees and defendants can afford lawyers, and there are not enough lawyers to provide free legal counsel in such cases.
During her visit in July 2005, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stressed the importance of an independent and professional judiciary, and said the dysfunctional judicial system was having a severe impact on the creation of a human rights environment in Liberia.
AI Index: AFR 34/003/2005
19 September 2005
UNMIL’s mandate includes assisting the transitional government to develop, in cooperation with judicial institutions, a strategy for consolidating a national legal framework. The objective is to develop and implement pragmatic solutions for the problems and challenges facing Liberia’s justice system – including re-establishment of the Law School – with the overall aim of restoring the rule of law. The Legal and Judicial Division of UNMIL, present since early 2004, has made assessments of the system, as have other UN agencies, the US Department of Justice, and international non governmental organizations such as the Open Society Justice Initiative. Despite the many assessments undertaken so far only the Legal and Judicial Division has provided support through technical expertise.
The assessments highlight the lack of sufficiently qualified personnel and a low level of professionalism, resources and incentives for judges, prosecutors, lawyers and others in the judicial system. There has been little oversight of their work in the past, contributing substantially to the lack of capacity in this sector. Few people in Liberia have access to the justice system. Prisons and police detention facilities are overcrowded, and most of the inmates are detained without charge or trial. Hardly any detainees and defendants can afford lawyers, and there are not enough lawyers to provide free legal counsel in such cases.
During her visit in July 2005, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stressed the importance of an independent and professional judiciary, and said the dysfunctional judicial system was having a severe impact on the creation of a human rights environment in Liberia.
AI Index: AFR 34/003/2005
19 September 2005
posted by Plucky @ 8:56 AM
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