Inspired Individuals

For prison officer training in November

AdvocAid will be filming a legal education drama in the next few weeks.
Please pray that we are granted permission to film in the police stations
and courts as well as for our script writer and production team. We hope
the drama will provide key legal education messages through using popular
media.

Thanks!

–
Sabrina Mahtani
Executive Director
AdvocAid: supporting justice, education and reintegration for women and
their children in detention in Sierra Leone

Office: 1st Floor, 39 Liverpool Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone
SL: +232 76 983 150
UK: +44 7957 286 231

http://www.advocaidsl.com

http://www.justgiving.com/advocaid

Dear All

We praise God for the successful screenings we have had so far with the
first human rights film festival in Sierra Leone. We’ve had huge crowds of
students, youth groups, journalists and sex workers who have attended the
screenings.

Today we are taking the festival to Kroo Bay, one of the largest slum areas
in Freetown and one of the most deprived communities. Please pray for
safety and for everything to go smoothly as well as many people being made
more aware of human rights issues and where to seek redress.

Thanks

Sabrina

–
Sabrina Mahtani
Executive Director
AdvocAid: supporting justice, education and reintegration for women and
their children in detention in Sierra Leone

Office: 1st Floor, 39 Liverpool Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone
SL: +232 76 983 150
UK: +44 7957 286 231

http://www.advocaidsl.com

http://www.justgiving.com/advocaid

Dear All

Just wanted to share with you another exciting project we are involved with – the first Human Rights Film Festival in Sierra Leone, which starts this weekend!

You can find out more details on our website at http://www.opinyuyi.org ot our teaser advert http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1qnP-1uwN8

Thanks for your prayers and support!

Sabrina

[Posted by Monica on behalf of Sabrina Mahtani]

Dear Friends in Civil Society

Please find below AdvocAid’s latest press release concerning 22 people (7 men, 12 women, 4 juveniles) who were released from prison following a summary review by the Chief Justice. They were sentenced to 6 months for loitering despite the statutory maximum sentence being 1 month.

Please contact AdvocAid should you wish to have more information. We respectfully ask that you contact us rather than contacting our clients directly given the sensitive nature of the case and as our clients are vulnerable people.
AdvocAid Team

***

PRESS RELEASE:

22 “LOITERING” PRISONERS RELEASED BY THE CHIEF JUSTICE FOLLOWING ADVOCAID INTERVENTION

22 people (7 men, 12 women, 4 juveniles) convicted of loitering and sentenced to 6 months imprisonment at Pademba Road and Freetown Female Prisons, were dramatically released on 2 February 2012 after local civil society organisation, AdvocAid, requested a summary review by the Chief Justice.

The conviction resulted in the female prison population almost doubling overnight, straining the already limited prison resources. The prisoners were unable to spend Christmas with their families and the women did not have time to put childcare arrangements in place before their arrest and sentence.

The exact details of the “loitering” offence are unclear but it supposedly took place between 10am to noon on a Tuesday in December 2011 around the Tower Hill area of Freetown. Most of the accused were outside or even in their homes conducting normal daily activities. Whilst the maximum sentence for loitering is 1 month under the Public Order Act 1965, the usual sentence is a caution and discharge or a fine of Le 50,000 (fifty thousand Leones). By 2 February 2012, the prisoners had already served 7 weeks in prison (well over the 4 week maximum sentence). Among those convicted was a 9 month pregnant woman, who gave birth in prison, a 13 year old boy and 3 other juveniles. The Magistrate sentenced 36 persons to imprisonment but, due to circumstances yet unclear, only 22 were actually in custody and serving the sentence. Several of the detainees were injured, allegedly by the police, and one female detainee, who was 9 months pregnant at the time of arrest, delivered her baby in prison.

AdvocAid, which provides legal aid, education and welfare support to female detainees and their children, was able to act quickly upon discovery of this situation. AdvocAid staff members met with the convicted persons to ascertain the circumstances of their arrest and recorded their statements. Based on this information, AdvocAid submitted a request for a summary review to the Chief Justice.

On behalf of the released prisoners, AdvocAid would like to thank the Honourable Chief Justice for acting speedily to remedy the error. Thanks also to all AdvocAid staff, volunteers and the Fourah Bay college legal extern students who assisted with drafting the review application and interviewing the affected persons. Finally our appreciation to our donors: Open Society Foundations, Mama Cash and Open Society Justice Initiative who made it all possible.

AdvocAid – supporting justice, education and reintegration for women and their children in conflict with the law in Sierra Leone.

39 Liverpool Street, Freetown
http://www.advocaidsl.com
advocaid@gmail.com
033 572 526

Wow, some exciting news. Human Rights Commission have asked me to be their key note speaker at a conference on legal aid for women!

Praise God! Will need some prayers for wisdom too!

Sabrina

[Posted by Gary Swart on behalf of Sabrina Mahtani]