Event

The Faculty of Law International Human Rights Clinic (FOL IHRC) and in partnership with the Cropper Foundation, presents its Project Launch and Panel Discussion: Addressing Human Rights Abuses of Remand Prisoners with Special Emphasis on Domestic Violence Murder Cases on Thursday April 21 at 4 p.m. 

This virtual webinar aims to address and entrench the serious human rights travesty in Trinidad and Tobago, that is, the system of remand whereby persons are incarcerated on remand without trial for lengthy period. To compound this abuse, IHRC’s own previous work on this issue, revealed that female remand prisoners suffer double jeopardy, given that a high percentage of them have been arraigned for murder in circumstances where they were victims of domestic violence, but which were not taken into consideration in their charges. 

This initiative serves to propel positive change to the law, legal policy and prosecution practice on prison remand conditions in Trinidad and Tobago, bringing them in line with international human rights standards, especially emphasizing accused who were victims of domestic violence. 

This webinar aims to:

1. Undertake strategic litigation, research and data collection to address human rights abuses inherent in the remand system, including the broader issues of gender inequities that undergird it.
2. Build a network of civil society organisations (CSOs) that can advocate effectively for and support a humane, justice-centred enabling environment for remand prisoners and undertake direct interventions to empower remandees.
3. Marshal public opinion and influence targeted stakeholders and the state toward remand reform through informed, solution-based interventions and advocacy. 

Featured Speakers for Launch:

• H.E. Peter Cavendish, Ambassador and Head, Delegation of the European Union to Trinidad and Tobago 
• Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, The UWI, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Studies and Research, and Project Lead 
• Professor Raphael Heffron, Dean, Faculty of Law, The UWI, St. Augustine Campus 
• Mr. Omar Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer, The Cropper Foundation. 

Presenters/Panelists:

• Ms. Debbie Jacob (Award-winning Journalist and Activist)
• Ms. Sophia Chote, S.C. (President LATT)
• Mr. Gerard Wilson (Former Commissioner of Prisons)
• Ms. Jennelle Corraspe (Attorney) 
• Mr. David Mohammed (Activist) 
• Mr. Nicholas Ali (Former Remandee)

Interested persons can register using the following link, https://bit.ly/humanrightsabuses

For more information, email ThePVCResearch@sta.uwi.edu or humanrightsadvocacyuwi@gmail.com.