Pre-trial detention probed by European Commission again

In June, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights started implementing a European project called “The practice of ordering pre-trial detention: monitoring of alternatives and court practice”.

“The project is consistent with the Foundation’s previous activities concerning the fairness of criminal proceedings and respect for the rights of the suspects and defendants”, says Katarzyna Wiśniewska the Foundation’s project coordinator. “Carrying out in-depth studies based on the same methodology in several European countries will help identify the problems that are common to EU member states and require regulations at EU level”, adds Ms Wiśniewska.

The goal is for the organisations participating in the project to create a database on the practice of using detention as a preventive measure in 10 European countries: Romania (APADOR), Lithuania (Human Rights Monitoring Institute), Ireland (Irish Penal Reform Trust), the Netherlands (Leiden University), the United Kingdom (University of Western England), Spain (APDHE), Greece (CECL), Poland (Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights), Hungary (Hungarian Helsinki Committee) and Italy (ASF – Lawyers Without Borders). Under the project, partners will carry out a detailed analysis of the practice of pre-trial detention and alternative measures based on questionnaire surveys, interviews and in-depth reviews of files.

The project is coordinated by Fair Trial International – an organisation that has been monitoring the fairness of criminal proceedings for many years. The project is funded by the European Commission.

For more information on the project, use this link.