MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands' Criminal law and criminal justice system reform come into force Friday

The Falklands courthouse. The Attorney General's office has published guidance documents explaining the framework in which prosecution decisions are made.

The Falkland Islands government has announced as part of its transparency policy that reform to the criminal law and criminal justice system come into force from Friday, 21st April. The official release states that the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Ordinance and the Crimes Ordinance are a root and branch reform of the criminal law and the criminal justice system in the Falkland Islands.

 The Ordinances commence and the provisions come into force from 21st April 2017.

The commencement of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Ordinance and the Crimes Ordinance is an important milestone in the development of the law of the Falkland Islands and is part of a wider project of reform led by the Statute Law Commissioner that will improve public access to the law.

The Attorney General and the Law and Regulation Directorate are committed to transparency and have published a series of guidance documents that explain the framework in which prosecution decisions are made.

The Attorney General’s Guidance Series will be available online at http://www.fig.gov.fk/legal/ (and then by following the links) from 21st April 2017. A copy of the guidance will also be available from the public library.