Reprieve (organisation)

The first and largest of the Reprieve organizations, Reprieve UK, was founded in 1999, one year after the death penalty was officially abolished in the UK (although having not been exercised since 1964), by human rights lawyer Clive Stafford Smith.{{cite web |url=http://www.jrct.org.uk/centenary_projects.asp?section=000100030001 |title=Visionaries for a just and peaceful world |work=Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust |access-date=10 March 2013 |archive-date=23 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130723160223/http://www.jrct.org.uk/centenary_projects.asp?section=000100030001 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.jrct.org.uk/core/documents/download.asp?id=549 |title=Visions of the Future: six stories Clive Stafford Smith : bringing the rule of law back to Guantanamo Bay |work=Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. 1904 – 2004 Centennial Projects}}{{dead link|date=February 2023}} Smith has represented over 300 prisoners facing the death penalty in the southern United States and has helped secure the release of 65 Guantánamo Bay prisoners as well as others across the world detained in places such as Bagram Theatre Internment Facility, Afghanistan, who claim to have been tortured{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/apr/15/terror-suspects-afghanistan-bagram |title=Terror suspects held illegally' in Afghanistan prison named by charity |author=Richard Norton-Taylor |author-link=Richard Norton-Taylor |work=The Guardian |date=15 April 2010}} by the United States government.

Reprieve currently works to represent 15 prisoners in Guantánamo Bay, as well as an evolving caseload of death row clients around the world. It investigates international complicity in renditions{{cite web |url=http://www.access-info.org/documents/Access_Docs/Using/Civil_Liberties/ROR/Rendition_on_Record_19_December_2011.pdf |title=Rendition on Record |author1=Crofton Black |author2=Lydia Medland |work=Reprieve/Access Info Europe |date=19 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208043920/http://www.access-info.org/documents/Access_Docs/Using/Civil_Liberties/ROR/Rendition_on_Record_19_December_2011.pdf |archive-date=8 February 2012 |url-status=dead }} and most recently, has started working with the Foundation for Fundamental Rights{{cite web |url=http://www.rightsadvocacy.org/|title=Rights Advocacy|website=rightsadvocacy.org|access-date=25 June 2018}} in Pakistan, aiming to create conversation around the use of drones there.{{cite web|url=https://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2012-12-22/high-court-rejects-first-uk-challenge-to-cias-drone-campaign |title=High court rejects first UK challenge to CIA's drone campaign |work=The Bureau of Investigative Journalism |author=Alice K Ross |date=22 December 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20121025/eu-britain-drone-strikes/ |title=UK: Hearing into CIA drones would dent US ties |author=David Stringer |work=The Huffington Post |date=25 October 2012 |access-date=10 March 2013 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304105052/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20121025/eu-britain-drone-strikes/ |url-status=dead }} In 2021, Reprieve UK compiled information on the effects of U.S. drone strikes and counterterrorism actions in order to file a petition and witness statement on behalf of 34 Yemenis at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.{{Cite web|date=2021-01-17|title=In a first, Yemenis seek redress for U.S. drone strikes at Inter-American rights body|url=https://reprieve.org/uk/2021/01/17/in-a-first-yemenis-seek-redress-for-u-s-drone-strikes-at-inter-american-rights-body/|access-date=2021-03-19|website=Reprieve|language=en-GB}} Reprieve focused its collaborative petition on the human rights consequences of U.S. drone strikes that killed multiple civilians, including "nine children and several members of Yemen's military".

Reprieve UK has twenty-five staff in London and seven Fellows in the US and Pakistan. Its patrons include Martha Lane Fox, Jon Snow, Alan Bennett, Julie Christie{{citation needed|date=January 2019}} and Roger Waters.{{cite web |last1=Youngs |first1=Ian |title=Pink Floyd star plans more Syrian rescues |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-46986558 |publisher=BBC |access-date=25 January 2019 |date=24 January 2019}}

Current cases include Andy Tsege,{{cite web|url=http://www.reprieve.org.uk/case-study/andargachew-tsege/|title=Andy Tsege: A British father of three on death row in Ethiopia|access-date=25 June 2018}} Ali al Nimr,{{cite web|url=http://www.reprieve.org.uk/case-study/ali-al-nimr/|title=Ali al-Nimr – Reprieve|access-date=25 June 2018}} Libya's Sami al-Saadi,{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/dec/13/libyan-dissident-mi6-aided-rendition |title=Government pays Libyan dissident's family £2.2m over MI6-aided rendition. Sami al-Saadi, wife and four children were secretly flown from Hong Kong to Tripoli where he was tortured by Gaddafi police |author=Richard Norton-Taylor |work=The Guardian |date=13 December 2012}}{{Cite web |url=https://reprieve.org.uk/case-study/al-saadi-family/|title=The al Saadi family|website=Reprieve|language=en|access-date=2019-06-13}} stateless Palestinian Abu Zubaydah,{{cite web |url=http://www.reprieve.org.uk/cases/abuzubaydah/ |title=Case Abu Zubaydah |work=www.reprieve.org.uk |access-date=2 November 2011 |archive-date=1 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201100748/http://www.reprieve.org.uk/cases/abuzubaydah/ |url-status=dead }} Linda Carty,{{cite web|url=https://reprieve.org.uk/case-study/linda-carty/ |title=Linda Carty|website=Reprieve|language=en|access-date=2019-06-13}} Yunus Rahmatullah,{{cite web|url=http://www.headoflegal.com/2012/11/06/foreign-secretary-v-rahmatullah-reprieves-dodgy-press-release/ |title=Foreign Secretary v Rahmatullah: Reprieve's dodgy press release |author=Carl Gardner |work=Head of legal |date=6 November 2012 |access-date=1 February 2023}} Krishna Maharaj,{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/20/krishna-maharaj-miami-murder-conviction-appeal_n_2341531.html |title=Krishna Maharaj, Jailed Briton, Appeals Murder Conviction Claiming He Was Framed By Miami Police |work=Reuters / The Huffington Post |date=20 December 2012 |access-date=1 February 2023}} and Malik Jalal.{{cite web |url=https://home.38degrees.org.uk/2016/04/18/malik-jalal-faqs/|title=Malik Jalal – FAQs – 38 Degrees|date=18 April 2016|access-date=25 June 2018}}

Recent cases include Samantha Orobator,{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/05/04/laos.british.woman.drugs.trial/index.html |title=British woman could face Laos death penalty |work=CNN |date=4 May 2009 |access-date=1 February 2023}} Binyam Mohamed,{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6718375.stm |title=Guantanamo inmate sues US company. A British resident held by the US is suing a company for allegedly organizing flights that took him to Guantanamo Bay |work=BBC |date=4 June 2007 |access-date=1 February 2023}} Muhammad Saad Iqbal,{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jun/03/humanrights.terrorism |title=Complaint over British role in extraordinary rendition. MP demands information on role in secret US flights. Human rights group calls for detainees to be named |author1=Duncan Campbell |author2=Richard Norton-Taylor |work=The Guardian |date=3 June 2008 |access-date=1 February 2023}} and Akmal Shaikh,{{cite web |url=http://www.reprieve.org.uk/2009_05_26akmalshaikhmentallyillBritishnationalwho |title=Akmal Shaikh, mentally ill British national who has been sentenced to death in China, will today plead for his life in court |publisher=Reprieve.org.uk |access-date=2011-12-20}} an EU national executed by the Chinese government.

Reprieve US was founded in 2001 by anti-death penalty lawyers in New Orleans, Louisiana, as a 501(c)(3) charitable legal defense organization, inspired by Reprieve UK. In 2014 Reprieve US opened its headquarters in New York City, and began working on unlawful detention and targeted killing as well as death penalty cases. Reprieve US is an independent sister organization to Reprieve UK; the two organizations share the same mission and work in partnership.{{cn|date=May 2025}}

Reprieve US has strongly opposed the Guantanamo Bay detention camp since its founding, and legally represents several of its detainees. They also have a profile on many of its prisoners.{{cite web |url=http://www.reprieve.org/guantanamo-bay/ |title=Guantanamo Bay |work=Reprieve |access-date=24 July 2016 |archive-date=26 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126065431/https://reprieve.org/guantanamo-bay/ |url-status=dead }}

Reprieve US spoke out against the use of nitrogen as a means of capital punishment after the execution of Carey Dale Grayson.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/21/alabama-nitrogen-gas-execution-carey-dale-grayson|work=The Guardian|title=Alabama executes third man this year with controversial nitrogen gas: Carey Dale Grayson was killed on Thursday for 1994 murder by technique that previously caused visible signs of distress|first=Ed |last=Pilkington|date=21 November 2024|access-date=27 May 2025}}

The Capital Punishment Justice Project (formerly Reprieve Australia) was founded in Melbourne in 2001 by criminal barristers Richard Bourke and Nick Harrington to provide legal representation and humanitarian assistance to those at risk of execution. Initially providing volunteer assistance to programs in the US, the CPJP has since expanded to Asia. The organization is currently led by Julian McMahon.{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://cpjp.org.au/about-us/ |website=Capital Punishment Justice Project |publisher=Capital Punishment Justice Project |access-date=24 October 2019}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://reprieve.org/uk/ Reprieve UK]
• [https://reprieve.org/us/ Reprieve US]
• [https://cpjp.org.au/ Capital Punishment Justice Project], formerly Reprieve Australia
• [https://reprieve.nl/ Reprieve Netherlands]

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Category:Human rights organisations based in the United Kingdom

Category:Anti–death penalty organizations

Category:Imprisonment and detention

Category:Prisoner rights organizations