EU: Judges discuss the need for stronger individual assessments and alternatives to detention for children in conflict with the law
In May 2024, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) hosted two online workshops bringing together judges from six EU countries to explore how justice systems respond to children suspected or accused in criminal proceedings. Judges widely agreed that detention...
EU: Ensuring the child’s voice is heard in legal proceedings
On 13–14 May 2025, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) held a workshop on child-friendly justice and procedural rights. Experts and practitioners from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Malta, Austria and the Netherlands focused on how international and EU legal...
EU: Better support structures for children in conflict with the law are needed
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) organized a series of workshops for social workers and probation officers working with children from Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Poland, the Netherlands and Slovakia. The goal was to share experiences, identify common challenges, and highlight effective practices in supporting children in conflict with the law.
Topics discussed included methods of conducting individual assessment of children, diversion options as alternatives to formal criminal proceedings, the availability of support organizations, the role of parents throughout justice processes, and the impact of institutional discrimination on children in conflict with law.
EU: Access to a lawyer in juvenile justice proceedings remains a key concern in several EU Member States
In April 2025, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and partners organized two online workshops for legal practitioners from six EU Member States who work with children in conflict with the law. These workshops follow up on the Transnational Exchange Roundtable held in March 2025 in Brussels and aim to explore specific issues in greater depth and strengthen legal assistance for children in conflict with the law.
Eswatini: In the face of ongoing repression of the legal profession, lawyers raise concerns with UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers
The Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers emphasized the fundamental importance of the independence of judges and lawyers in the protection of human rights and the rule of law. In a social media post issued on 13 April 2025 after meeting...Recent News
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