On Tue, 18 June 2019, the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights will host the national workshop “Strengthening the Procedural Rights of Suspected and Accused Persons in Criminal Proceedings”.

Procedural rights in criminal proceedings have been central to the European Union, which since 2009 has adopted a number of important legal instruments and measures relating to the rights of suspected or accused persons in criminal proceedings. These include, for example, the right to legal assistance, the right to legal information, and the rights of persons in vulnerable situations. Recent international research has shown that access to procedural guarantees from the first hours of detention is the most effective way to prevent ill-treatment. In previous projects (The First 48 Hours: Defendant Rights in Police Investigations; Human Dignity in the Dock), the implementation of these provisions in domestic law as well as in practice was examined and concrete recommendations were developed. Building on these findings, this event will discuss concrete next steps to implement these recommendations.

Effective implementation requires the cooperation and collaboration of multiple domestic actors – such as lawyers, police, ministries, etc. National Human Rights Institutions also play an increasingly important role in strengthening the rights of suspects and accused persons. This workshop is designed to promote exchange and explore opportunities for cooperation.

Participation by invitation only.