On 07 January 2023, the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights (LBI-GMR) organised the third of a four-part EU-wide consultation series in the framework of the project “Justice for All: Strengthening the Rights of Persons with Intellectual and/or Psychosocial Disabilities in criminal deprivation of liberty. EU Cross-Border Transfers, Detention and Alternatives”. Among others, the speakers included members of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

The consultation brought together representatives in the field of supervision mechanisms from different EU Member States to exchange views on the main challenges and promising practices and to discuss common recommendations on this topic. The focus was on the fundamental and human rights situation, as well as on practices in preventive visits to safe these rights of persons with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities.

The cases and practices presented during the workshop showed the different requirements and opportunities in the field of supervision mechanisms for persons with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities within the criminal justice systems in the EU. In particular, the difficulties faced by defendants and detainees with intellectual and/or psychosocial impairments were further highlighted. Recommendations and strategies to promote the rights of prisoners with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities in the criminal justice system were also addressed.

Through informative presentations and lively discussions, participants looked for a possible implementation of harmonization of standards in the respective member states. They shared best practices to better implement existing laws and procedures for people with psychosocial and/or intellectual disabilities in practice.

The focus of the project’s EU-wide online workshops is on a specific stakeholder group that is involved in the criminal process with defendants and detainees with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities: The kick-off consultation invites lawyers to exchange with peers from the EU. This is followed by consultations with probation officers (Wed., 7 December 2022), representatives of national preventive and oversight mechanisms (Wed., 18 January 2023) and judges (Wed., 1 February 2023).