The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has welcomed the decision by government through the Judiciary to scale up the integration of Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms (ADRM) into the criminal justice system.
Commission Spokesperson, Mweelwa Muleya says the scaling up of the use of the proposed mechanism in the criminal justice system has potential to enhance access to justice and reduce violation of human rights of accused persons arising from prolonged pre-trial detention.
Mr. Muleya said the inordinate delay in concluding cases due to the overstretched capacity of the Judiciary to dispense justice owing to the overwhelming cases disproportionate to their human and financial resources and infrastructure, has historically been a serious source of human rights concern.
“The Commission has for years been making recommendations from its periodic inspections of detention and correctional facilities on the need to enhance access to justice and reduce the number of accused persons on pre-detention trial,” said Mr. Muleya in a statement issued to RCV News in Lusaka today,
He further said the discrimination of petty offences will contribute to reducing the overwhelming criminal cases that have outstripped the capacity of the Judiciary to deliver timely justice in keeping with the rights of accused persons.
Mr. Muleya highlighted that the commission continues to collaborate with various institutions in the justice delivery sector to enhance access to justice and human rights for suspects and accused persons.
By Elizabeth Mutale
