Roger Smith rounds up recent human rights developments
The UN inches towards a statement of the principles and guidelines on access to justice in criminal matters. Its Commission for Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice adopted draft provisions in Vienna at the end of April. The Commission’s recommendation should be enough to see the guidelines formally agreed by the UN itself.
Criminal legal aid
The principles, which might become helpful to defenders of criminal legal aid from domestic cuts, require prompt access to legal aid at all stages of the criminal justice process. Paragraph 21 states that this is to be done: “Regardless of means, if the interests of justice so require, for example, given the urgency or complexity of the case or the severity of the potential penalty.”
Such a provision inhibits attempts by government to cut the police station duty solicitor scheme or to impose charges, as originally suggested in the Bill that became the Legal Aid, Punishment and Sentencing of Offenders Act (LASPO).
Interestingly, the process was led by two countries both developing legal aid schemes from a low base, Georgia
