http://www.pficjr.org In many countries, Prison Fellowship is coming to the aid of poor prisoners by providing legal assistance to those who cannot afford to pay for the services of a lawyer. daily 1 2007-06-21T10:26:18Z http://www.pficjr.org/newsitems/freeing-prisoners-in-sri-lanka In Sri Lanka, prisoners held in remand indefinitely are called 'no date' prisoners. While the law requires that they be given the opportunity for bail within two years, many are serving as much as three or four years without trial or a bail hearing according to Vijula Aralanantham, board chairperson of PF Sri Lanka. Responding to many requests for assistance received by staff and volunteers visiting prison, the ministry started the Prison Fellowship Legal Aid Team (PFLAT). No publisher lparker Country:Sri Lanka Legal Assistance Region:Asia Crowding News 2008-08-28T13:21:30Z News Item http://www.pficjr.org/newsitems/facilitating-prisoner-releases-in-liberia Recently, PF Liberia aided the release of 36 prisoners held for more than 180 days without trial in Monrovia Central Prison and Kakata Prison Centre. No publisher lparker Country:Liberia Region:Africa News Crowding Legal Assistance 2008-05-19T13:28:15Z News Item http://www.pficjr.org/newsitems/assisting-foreign-prisoners-in-chile For several years, PF Chile staff and volunteers noticed the difficulties faced by foreign prisoners in Chilean prisons. Most were in prison for drug trafficking and faced many difficulties in obtaining the necessary legal assistance. In 1998, PF Chile began providing this assistance through it legal department. No publisher lparker Legal Assistance Region:Latin America Country:Chile 2007-05-25T12:47:11Z News Item http://www.pficjr.org/newsitems/defending1 On the day he was released from prison he began looking for work. He knew his family had suffered during his time in prison and he desperately wanted to begin providing for them again. It was difficult going. Then one afternoon, a few days later, the police came and accused him of committing a robbery in the area. He was summarily arrested and dragged off to prison. As an ex-prisoner, his guilt was readily assumed. Unable to afford legal help, his conviction is all but assured. His situation is bad, and his family’s welfare is worse than ever. He feels totally isolated, forgotten and alone. No publisher james Region:Europe Country:Bolivia Region:Latin America Crowding Country:Ecuador Legal Assistance Country:Georgia 2007-11-02T20:00:53Z News Item