petty offences

Children's Rights Criminal Justice Malawi Ongoing cases Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights

Bringing accountability for sexual violence by the police

Background Petty offences are minor offences for which the punishment is prescribed by law to carry a warning, community service, a low-value fine or short term of imprisonment, often for failure to pay the fine. Examples include, but are not limited to, offences such as being a rogue and vagabond,…

Staff Writer15 Jul 2021

Articles and Opinions Criminal Justice Malawi

SALC JOURNAL ARTICLE: LITIGATING TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF POOR AND MARGINALISED GROUPS IN URBAN SPACES

PUBLISHED IN THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI LAW REVIEW CAVEAT Anneke Meerkotter 74 U. Miami L. Rev. Caveat 1 (2020). Abstract For centuries, and across the world, penal laws have been used to regulate urban spaces, with a cruel focus on relegating poor and marginalized groups from such spaces. Criminal laws,…

Anneke Meerkotter15 Jan 2020

Criminal Justice Malawi Ongoing cases

Malawi: Challenging constitutionality of offence which criminalises poverty

Factual Background One of the enduring legacies of colonialism in Africa is the police practice of arbitrary mass arrests. These so-called ‘sweeping’ or ‘swooping’ exercises are typically conducted by police over weekends and at night. Such sweeping exercises tend to have very general objectives, meaning that persons are arrested, for…

Anneke Meerkotter21 Feb 2019

Focus areas Focus countries Malawi Research Reports & Policy Briefs Rule of Law Seminars and Conferences Sex Worker Rights

SIDE EVENT ON THE MARGINS OF THE 61ST ORDINARY SESSION OF THE ACHPR

The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Commission) has recognised that the declassification and decriminalisation of petty offences is an important human rights issue. A Side Event on the Margins of the 61ST Ordinary Session of the ACHPR has been scheduled as follows: DATE: 2 November 2017 TIME: 13h15…

Staff Writer31 Oct 2017

Articles and Opinions Botswana Malawi Rule of Law Tanzania Zambia

SALC IN THE NEWS: POLICING OF PETTY OFFENCES

The Nation Victor Mhango and Anneke Meerkotter In January 2017, the Malawi High Court, in the case of Mayeso Gwanda, made a finding that would have reverberations throughout Africa. It ruled that section 184(1)(c) of the Penal Code is unconstitutional. This is an offence that was introduced during colonial times…

Staff Writer18 Oct 2017

Bringing accountability for sexual violence by the police

SALC JOURNAL ARTICLE: LITIGATING TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF POOR AND MARGINALISED GROUPS IN URBAN SPACES

Malawi: Challenging constitutionality of offence which criminalises poverty

SIDE EVENT ON THE MARGINS OF THE 61ST ORDINARY SESSION OF THE ACHPR

SALC IN THE NEWS: POLICING OF PETTY OFFENCES

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