Brief on Pre-trial Detention in the European Union
The members of the JUSTICIA European Rights Network (a coalition of the European leading civil liberties organisations working on the right to a fair trial) call on the European institutions to adopt legislation that ensures that pre-trial detention is used fairly and only when it is really justified.
In this joint brief, the JUSTICIA European Rights Network asks the European Commission to table legislation on pre-trial detention that protects the right to liberty and the presumption of innocence, and the European Parliament and Council to ensure that it contains key procedural protections, requires the use of alternatives to detention, excludes minor offences, among other safeguards.
The JUSTICIA European Rights Network considers that the unjustified and excessive use of pre-trial detention is all too common in the EU. Evidence shows that it is something that is needlessly wasting huge amounts of public funds, and contributing to prison overcrowding and adding to inhumane conditions. This situation also threatens to undermine mutual trust and judicial cooperation among EU member states. Demand for action is growing and legislation in this area must be introduced without delay.
Members of the JUSTICIA European Rights Network are:
Civil Rights Defenders, Open Society Justice Initiative, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute, Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, Croatian Law Center, Res Publica, Hungarian Helsinki Committee, Greek Helsinki Monitor, Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Czech League of Human Rights, Statewatch, Human Rights Centre, KISA, Antigone, Human Rights Monitoring Institute, Netherlands Helsinki Committee, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, APADOR, The Peace Institute, Rights International Spain.
