On 27th April 2012 the 21st session of the Commission for Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) adopted the resolution for the UN Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in the Criminal Justice System
This is ground breaking guideline as it is the first international instrument on legal aid. The document contains 14 principles recognising the “Right to Legal Aid” and how to ensure this right is available to Member State’s citizens. There are 18 guidelines outlining how a functioning Legal Aid system should be implemented.
The
notion of fair trial and access to justice is enshrined in international law
through many different pieces of key legislation. Most notably in 1948 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
outlined the key principles of equality before the law and the presumption of
innocence, as well as the right to a fair and public hearing by an independent
and impartial tribunal, established by law, along with all the guarantees
necessary for the defence of anyone charged with a penal offence, other minimum
guarantees and the entitlement to be tried without undue delay. In
1966 the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights went further stating in Article 14 that everyone charged with a criminal
offence shall be entitled to be tried in his or her presence and to defend him
or herself in person or through legal assistance of his or her own choosing or
assigned to him or her where the interests of justice so require, in a fair and
public hearing by a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established
by law.
The Lilongwe Declaration on
accessing legal aid in Africa was a significant step regionally,
recognising the difficulties many African nations have in meeting
obligations in respect of legal aid provision. However the new guidelines provide very positive guidance for countries like Malawi. Malawi has drawn up
a new Legal Aid Act which was published on the 8th April
2011 but it has yet to be enforced. The new act looks at legal aid as a service
provided to persons by way of legal representation, legal advice or legal
assistance and allows for the appointment of Legal Aid Assistants which will
increase the number of professionals offering legal services. It will establish
a new fund to be known as the “Legal Aid Fund” which will receive money from
Government and from donors and CSOs. The Legal Aid department in Malawi is in
need of much financial help. Malawi spends approx €125,000 on legal aid for
both civil and criminal matters annually. This is about €0.01 per capita on
legal aid. This is compared to approx €315,500 on the DPP’s office alone. While
the police prosecutor’s also have a separate budget for the prosecution of
minor files. The DPP offices have prosecution lawyers to prosecute
“heavy-weight” offences i.e murder, rape but it is the police prosecutors that
prosecute 90% of cases.
The total number of employees in the Legal Aid Department as of
November 2011 was 176 posts of which only 24 are for lawyers. Currently there
are only 5 Legal Aid Advocates working in the Lilongwe Legal Aid office and not
all of them are available for criminal matters. The Legal Aid Department
offices are only situated in the three main cities - in Lilongwe, Blantyre and
Mzuzu. The Legal Aid Department does not have representation in the remaining
districts. The Mzuzu office usually operates with only one lawyer. Most people
are living in rural areas and so transport to the cities to see a lawyer proves
too costly.
As a result of this 90% of criminal cases will generally proceed
without the accused person having and legal assistance or representation. At
present there are 489 people awaiting trial in Maula prison in Lilongwe, 63 of
those have been in prison since before 2010 having never been to Court (some
since 2005). There are at least 6 people waiting longer than 12 months for
judgment after their trial concluded. Unfortunately Legal Aid, despite it's best efforts, does not have the
capacity to follow up these cases with the courts on a regular basis.
This
new resolution invites Member States, consistent with their national
legislation, to adopt and strengthen measures to ensure that effective legal
aid is provided, in accordance with the spirit of the Principles and Guidelines.
Legal aid is an essential element of a fair, humane and efficient criminal
justice system that is based on the rule of law.
In
line with the Lilongwe Declaration and the
Lilongwe Plan of Action for the implementation of the Declaration, the new Principles
and Guidelines follow a broad concept of legal aid. The term “legal aid” includes
legal advice, assistance and representation for persons detained, arrested or
imprisoned, suspected or accused of, or charged with a criminal offence
and for victims and witnesses in
the criminal justice process that is provided at no cost for those without
sufficient means or when the
interests of justice so require. Furthermore, “legal aid” is intended to
include the concepts of legal education, access to legal information and other
services provided for persons through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms
and restorative justice processes, all matters in which Irish Rule of Law has been exploring within Malawi since our arrival almost a year ago.
A
functioning legal aid system, as part of a functioning criminal justice system,
will reduce the length of time suspects are held in police stations and
detention centres, in addition to reducing the prison population, wrongful
convictions, prison overcrowding and congestion in the courts, and reducing
reoffending. It will also protect and safeguard the rights of victims and
witnesses in the criminal justice process. Legal aid can be utilised to
contribute to the prevention of crime by increasing awareness of the law.
Regrettably,
many countries still lack the necessary resources and capacity to provide legal
aid for suspects, those charged with a criminal offence, prisoners, victims and
witnesses. The United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in
Criminal Justice Systems, which are drawn from international standards
and recognised good practices, aim to provide guidance to States on the fundamental
principles on which a legal aid system in criminal justice should be based.
With this new resolution it is hoped Legal Aid systems in pooer
countries like Malawi will develop and help to ensure that no person is left
sitting in prison for years without access to a lawyer.
It
will now proceed to the Economic and Social Council in June and then to the UN
General Assembly for final adoption in December of 2012.
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