09-02-2017 15:00
Hearing on Prisons’ Systems and Conditions in the EU
The objective of the hearing on prisons' systems and conditions is to listen to experts in the field from different backgrounds to identify gaps in the application of existing rules and mechanisms and compare best practices in Member States.
In its Resolution of 13 December 2016 on the Situation of fundamental rights in the EU, the European Parliament expressed concerns regarding prison conditions in some Member States, often characterised by overcrowding and ill-treatment and pointed out that the fundamental rights of prisoners must be guaranteed. In previous resolutions it had already called on the European Commission to develop and implement minimum standards for prison and detention conditions in the EU and on the Member States to keep the issue high on their political agenda and to devote appropriate human and financial resources to addressing the situation.
Among the common problems observed in Member States, special attention should be paid to overcrowding, the use of pre-trial detention, the situation of vulnerable prisoners such as children and persons with mental disabilities and the phenomenon of radicalisation.
Among the common problems observed in Member States, special attention should be paid to overcrowding, the use of pre-trial detention, the situation of vulnerable prisoners such as children and persons with mental disabilities and the phenomenon of radicalisation.