Reprieve

Reprieve is a human rights charity founded by Clive Stafford Smith in 1999. It is based in London but operates worldwide, saving lives by using the law to enforce the human rights of prisoners, from death row to Guantánamo Bay and other secret prisons.

Reprieve is staffed by lawyers and investigators working on the frontline, providing legal support to prisoners who would otherwise be denied access to justice. It investigates, litigates, informs and influences. It promotes the rule of law around the world, and secures each person’s right to a fair trial.

Reprieve prioritises the cases of prisoners accused of the most extreme crimes, such as acts of murder or terrorism, as it is in such cases that human rights are most likely to be snuffed out. It focuses on cases involving the world’s most powerful governments, especially those to which the world looks to uphold the highest standards of justice.

Reprieve is unique among UK–based human rights charities in providing direct legal advice and action. This work gives it an unparalleled understanding of the abuses of the law which have been perpetrated during the so–called ‘war on terror’ and on death rows throughout the world. These personal stories allow Reprieve’s clients’ experiences to draw important media coverage, enabling it to inform and influence, making the case for the due process of law to be observed even for those most despised and powerless.

“Reprieve lawyers fought tirelessly for me until I was finally freed in March 2007 after five years of unlawful imprisonment without charge. Without Reprieve’s help and support I would have had no help, no voice would have been raised to speak for me.”

Bisher al Rawi, former Guantánamo prisoner and Reprieve client, current Reprieve staff member.

““Reprieve’s work is of benefit to society as a whole because it leads to the rectifying of gross injustices. Reprieve’s unique, informative initiatives and constant appearances in the media inform and educate us all about the human rights abuses happening now, under our watch, in our name.”

Lord Bingham of Cornhill, former Senior Law Lord.