IMPACTUM The ERC project

Welcome to IMPACTUM! From an interdisciplinary lens, this project will look at the impact of urgent measures in protecting people deprived of liberty in 6 Latin American countries. Have a look on our website and follow us to stay updated. #HumanRights #LatinAmerica

⚖️The UN Human Rights Committee can adopt interim measures in urgent cases to prevent irreparable harm while it examines a complaint. These temporary measures may protect people at serious risk, like detainees who are ill, held incommunicado, or facing execution. Learn more 👇

💡Prison violence in Guatemala: what did the Inter-American Commission say? ⚖️Prison violence is not only a security issue, but also a human rights issue. See below 👇

We want to sincerely thank prof Frans Viljoen for his Public Lecture delivered as Marcel Storme Chair 2025–2026, awarded this academic year by the Faculty of Law and Criminology, in consultation with Fonds Willy Delva. 🎓

🚨Last reminder! Join the 2026 Marcel Storme Chair Public Lecture by Prof Frans Viljoen(@UPTuks) “The African Court of H&PRs @ 20: An ‘African solution’ to African problems?” 📅Tue 24 March 🕔17:00–18:30 📍Auditorium A, Campus Aula, UGent Registration: event.ugent.be/registration/P…

Thank you to all who joined @RightsContext Talking Series on Human Rights & Latin America🙏 We were honoured to welcome Claudia Cardona & Kim for a timely discussion on the sexual & reproductive rights of women deprived of liberty in Colombia & Brazil 🌍👏

📢The first issue of the @RightsContext Newsletter is now out! ✨A first edition with updates, reflections, and highlights from our work and community. We hope you enjoy it & invite you to follow our activities & share it with others. 📖Read it here: heyzine.com/flip-book/7914…

Last reminder HRs Talking Series with Claudia Cardona (Mujeres Libres) & Kim (ITTC), presenting “Scars: Violations of the Sexual & Reproductive Rights of Women Deprived of Liberty in Colombia & Brazil” 🗓️23 March 09:00–12:00 📍UGent Faculty of Law, Faculty Board Room 💻MS Teams

📢Reminder📢 Join the Marcel Storme Chair Public Lecture '25-'26 by Prof Frans Viljoen (@UPTuks) “The African Court of H&PRs @ 20: An ‘African solution’ to African problems?” 📅Tue 24 March ⏰17:00–18:30 🥂Reception afterwards Register here: event.ugent.be/registration/e…

🎙️ Episode 30 of our Human Rights in Context Podcast is out! Prof Burbano Herrera visited the Women’s Prison in Bucaramanga, Colombia & spoke with Director Dr Teresa Villamizar on the realities of women’s imprisonment. Listen: 👉open.spotify.com/show/65IEENl5U… 👉humanrightsincontext.be/thepodcast

We warmly invite you to our next session of the Talking Series N°39 on human rights in Latin America. 🗓️ Monday 23 March | 09:00–12:00 (CEST) 📍 Faculty Board Room, Faculty of Law and Criminology, Ghent University 💻 Online: teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/la…

🧐 The IACHR argues that more alternatives should be used that allow detainees awaiting trial to remain in the community, while still making sure they appear before the courts & do not interfere with the investigation. 🔒 Read our post to learn more about such alternatives. 👇

Join the Marcel Storme Chair Public Lecture '25-'26 by Prof Frans Viljoen(@UPTuks) “The African Court of H&PRs @ 20: An ‘African solution’ to African problems?” 📅Tue 24 March 🕔17:00–18:30 📍Auditorium A, Campus Aula 🥂Reception afterwards Register here: event.ugent.be/registration/P…

For more than a decade, the IACHR has described the arbitrary and illegal use of pre-trial detention as a chronic problem in many countries in Latin America. 💡 IMPACTUM expresses concern regarding the prioritisation of remand custody and the protraction of criminal proceedings.

What is the general context of pretrial detention in Latin America? 🧐 The IACHR has identified the excessive use of pretrial detention as one of the most serious & widespread challenges in Latin America regarding the rights of detainees. Read more below. 👇

We warmly welcome everyone interested in human rights in Latin America to join our Human Rights in Context Talking Series. Every last Wednesday of the month, we come together to discuss, in Spanish, a wide range of human rights topics presented by experts. See you soon! 😊

📣 Applications are now open for the 5th Edition of our Summer School “Human Rights & Persons Deprived of Liberty” 🗓️ 16–19 June 2026 ⏰ 13:50–17:00 (Brussels) 💶 Fee €100 🌱 Scholarships available ⏳ Deadline: 4 May 2026 🔎 Programme: humanrightsincontext.be/international-…

🎙️ Episode 29 - Season 3 of our Human Rights in Context Podcast is out now! Prof Burbano Herrera visited the Villa Cristina Penitentiary in Colombia & interviewed the facility’s Director Dr Tatiana Jiménez Arcila. Listen here: 👉humanrightsincontext.be/thepodcast 👉open.spotify.com/show/65IEENl5U…

#Pretrialdetention is governed by binding international human rights law as well as authoritative guidance that clarifies how these obligations must be applied in practice. 💡 Read our post below to learn more about the international human rights standards in Latin America. 🧐

We are excited to announce that our PI Prof Dr Clara Burbano-Herrera has been appointed to the Honor Jury for the 2026 Human Rights Essay Award, organised by the Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law. 🙌

💡 We are excited to introduce a new series on the use of pre-trial detention in Latin America. Over the coming posts, we will unpack what pre-trial detention is, the legal framework that governs it, and how it is frequently used in practice across the region. Read more below!