Serving nearly double time: Teenager freed after IBJ simply follows-up with neglected case

One IBJ client was barely 15 years old when he was arrested on 6 July 2007. He was accused of burglary and put in pre-trial detention. The only existing documentation of his detention is the arrest warrant (dated 06/07/2007), and the order to detain him provisionally (dated 23/08/2008). It was only after almost two years after his arrest that he appeared before the court in a public hearing. He pled not guilty, but was not assisted by a lawyer (although … Continue Reading →

China's defense training

Inspiring Defender Excellence

During the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and ’70s, China’s legal system was completely dismantled. There were no law firms, no lawyers, and no prosecution system. Since then, China has invested heavily in efforts to reconstruct the legal profession by supporting law schools, professionalizing the bar, and very recently, in overhauling criminal laws. In January 2013, sweeping amendments to China’s Criminal Procedure Law went into effect, the first such changes since the 1990s. The amendments provide several mechanisms to enhance … Continue Reading →

5 cases of the same family

Imprisonment as a family affair: One family’s acquittal after years in prison

During one of his regular prison visits to the prison of Bururi, IBJ lawyer Janvier Ncamatwi identified five family members who were imprisoned and awaiting their trial, accused of willful destruction of property. After having met with the clients, the facts showed that the family was imprisoned for rather strange and not very comprehensive accusations. Family disputes of neighboring families seemed to be at the source of the accusations. Maître Janvier followed up the cases and was able to obtain … Continue Reading →

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Wrong place, wrong time: One Auto-Rickshaw driver accused of abetting abduction released home to his wife and children after IBJ’s help

Prithu* is a 50-year-old street hawker who earns his living by selling eggs in a quiet neighborhood of north Delhi. He says he spent nearly all of his savings trying to get his 28-year-old son, Pran*, out of prison. Prithu came to Delhi in 1985 with his wife and four children. He left Dasai, a small farming village in northern Bihar, in search of greener pastures and a better living.  He found work in a bicycle repair shop and settled … Continue Reading →

Meet Baru, pinned as a terrorist in a new city

Baru*, a resident of a small village in West Bengal, travelled to Delhi in 2005 with the hope of earning enough money to provide sustenance to his family back home. A trained tailor, Baru thought that opportunities would abound in the capital, and started his journey onwards. But when he reached New Delhi Railway station he was picked up by the Delhi Police’ s Special Cell (a Unit of Delhi Police that looks into Cases Pertaining to Terrorism), who took … Continue Reading →

Ary, an IBJ client who borrowed money for property investment, was put in prison for breach of confidence after she went bankrupt.

Bankrupt and accused of breach of trust, Ary found help in IBJ

By Marcena Winterscheidt In December of 2007, Ary* borrowed $5,000 from a local middleman to invest in property.  The man worked in the front office of the provincial hall, a position of influence and wealth.  At the time, the land business was a very good investment.  Many people were experiencing a great deal of success buying and selling property.  The two parties agreed that Ary would make the first payment of $1,000 in December of 2008.  She insured the loan … Continue Reading →

China Success pictures

Justice Even for the Guilty

IBJ promotes bridges to justice. But who is justice for? And what does justice mean? Is it for the victim, to see a guilty person punished? Is justice for the accused, to ensure his legal rights are respected? Is justice for society, to prevent the impacts of a crime, or the allegation of one, from destroying people’s lives? Ask ten people the meaning of “justice” and you’ll likely get ten different responses. Ask a defense lawyer in China, and the … Continue Reading →

Sopheak and Ouk

After more than a year since his acquittal, IBJ client released from prison seeks his family

  By Charlène Buisson After more than four and a half years spent in prison as an innocent man, Sopheak*—a husband and father—finally attained freedom from Koh Kong prison on 27 March 2013 with the help of IBJ. Sopheak’s case is the sad story of an innocent man forgotten by the justice system. Back in September 2008, he was arrested and detained for robbery with three of his friends because one of them accused him. He always denied it, and … Continue Reading →

JusticeMaker Garima Tiwari (right) and Ms. Nikhat Ali, an experienced lawyer, at the juvenile justice board in Bhopal, India.

JusticeMaker Garima Tiwari Helps Juveniles Caught in Slow-Moving Justice System

A recent report in The Times of India highlighted that more than 35 juveniles in Bhopal alone are waiting for trial for serious crimes such as rape or murder. With absolutely no mechanism in place in the state to counsel such children so that they do not take to crime in future, juvenile homes seem to be at the bottom of the government’s priority list. There are 18 observation homes in Madhya Pradesh with a capacity of 50 people each. … Continue Reading →

Desmond Tutu on International Bridges to Justice

Desmond Tutu on International Bridges to Justice

  • By ibj
  • 20 March, 2013
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