by ibakarr | Jun 9, 2020 | Press
Thanks to funding from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), the Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) today launched a $40,000 project aimed at monitoring and documenting human rights violations, ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of Sierra Leone’s Covid-19 response funds, and supporting social mobilization efforts through media outreach. Through this initiative, CARL will work with 16 Human Rights Monitors and regional partners across the country to track and respond to human rights violations, providing legal assistance to victims of human rights abuses, and to the extent possible, keeping tabs on medical and food supplies provided by the government and its partners to hospitals and quarantine facilities. Read full text here of the press release
by ibakarr | May 14, 2020 | Publication
The Sierra Leone Government is currently confronted with the twin challenge of ending Covid-19 transmission and ensuring peace and order. Both seem to be arduous tasks, especially given the recent spate of violence in the country. As of 13th May, 2020, the country has recorded 387 confirmed Corona virus case, 21 deaths, and nearly 1700 persons held in quarantine centres. Amidst efforts to slow down the spread of the violence, we have witnessed a spate of violence in the last couple of weeks. In this position paper, the Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law condemns violence as a criminal and unacceptable conduct, stating that it must be punished by all means. The president recently addressed the nation; arrests have been made in respect of the recent acts of violence, and some changes in the security sector are underway. We note that these steps may be helpful, but they will not, without more, address the key governance and rule of law challenges confronting the country.
The government cannot use a single-dimensional approach to addressing the problem of violence in the country. It has to lead in an inclusive and people-centred fashion, and broaden the space for dialogue with the opposition. There is need for good leadership across the board, including at the level of the justice sector and political parties. Our challenges cannot be wished away or ignored; otherwise, efforts at reconciliation may be undermined and potentially make the 2023 elections more violent. We have made a number of recommendations, including, the need for His Excellency to expand – rather than constrict – the space for dialogue with the main opposition. “Do not shut the door on dialogue”, we appeal. The spirit and objectives of Bintumani 3 must be kept alive. We note that whilst the President’s speech on 9th May was partly meant to send a strong message to those who participate in or sponsor violence, its accusatory tone may have further deepened the suspicion between the government and the main opposition APC. Read the full text of the position paper here…
by ibakarr | Mar 24, 2020 | Blog
Civil society organizations based and operating in the Republic of Sierra Leone have endorsed the nomination of Justice Miatta Maria Samba as Candidate for Judge of the International Criminal Court. In a statement signed by 21 organisations, civil society leaders in Sierra Leone endorsed the recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission and the decision of the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone to nominate Justice Miatta Maria Samba for election as a Judge of the International Criminal Court in List A, for the term 2021 to 2030 for elections scheduled for the Nineteenth Session of the Assembly of States Parties in December 2020 in New York. Read the full statement below:
We, the undermentioned civil society organizations based and operating in the Republic of Sierra Leone on the 10th day of March 2020,
Recalling the recent history of the Republic of Sierra Leone in ensuring accountability for atrocity crimes through the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) and the important nexus to the work of the International Criminal Court and the effective functioning of the Rome Statute system in the fight against impunity for atrocity crimes, as part of the global efforts to end impunity,
Bearing in mind the reaffirmation of the Republic of Sierra Leone of its commitment and unwavering support for the International Criminal Court,
Taking note of the decision of the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties to the International Criminal Court, taken on 18 December 2019, to open the nomination period for the election of six judges of the Court in accordance with article 36 of the Rome Statute and relevant resolutions; DOWNLOAD FULL STATEMENT https://carl.org.sl/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Justice-Miatta-Samba-Civil-Society-Endorsement.docx
by ibakarr | Jan 12, 2020 | Publication
Welcome to the third edition of the “The Justice Watch”, a bulletin produced by the Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) in partnership with Prison Watch Sierra Leone and Humanist Watch Salone. We are grateful for funding from the United Nations Development Programme in Sierra Leone and the U.S. State Department’s International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. In this edition, we will provide a final report of CARL’s activities relating to the Bail Regulations Monitoring project, and a comprehensive analysis of the data on the bail adjudication from the courtrooms across the country. This edition of “The Justice Watch” has utilized court monitoring data collected from 14 districts across the country on the implementation of the “Bail Regulations 2018”. Read more… https://carl.org.sl/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Justice-Watch-3rd-EditionFJan-2020-1-1.pdf
by ibakarr | Aug 14, 2019 | Job Vacancy
BACKGROUND
The Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL) is a member of a consortium of four agencies implementing a ten-month DFID-funded Accountable Grant on Public Financial Management, Revenue and Anti-corruption in Sierra Leone. Christian Aid is the lead partner, along with Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law, Restless Development, and Budget Advocacy Network (otherwise known as “the Consortium”). In response to the threat of corruption to Sierra Leone’s development aspirations, the government and its international development partners are cooperatively working to combat corruption through effective anti-corruption strategies such as research and public education, prosecution and prevention. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD
