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SP supports European Parliament condemnation of degrading conditions in member states’ prisons

21 December 2011

SP supports European Parliament condemnation of degrading conditions in member states’ prisons

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution condemning the existence of degrading prison conditions within the European Union. ‘This sends a powerful signal from the Parliament to all member states that such conditions in detention facilities must be prevented throughout the European Union,’ says SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong.

Dennis de JongThe resolution won close to unanimous support within the Parliament and was preceded by a comprehensive debate. Stress was laid on the fact that bad prison conditions can be cited as a reason not to cooperate with another member state when it comes to a European Arrest Warrant. “The Netherlands could therefore refuse to extradite a suspect to another EU country if conditions in prisons there are judged to be degrading. Abject cases, such as that of the Dutchman Robert Hörchner, who spent ten months in a Polish cell on the basis of accusations backed by paper-thin evidence, can now be prevented.”

The resolution was a reaction to the Commission’s Green Paper on conditions of detention within the EU. One of the issues which this Green Paper – a consultative document – looked into was the European Arrest Warrant. Following sustained pressure from numerous groups and individuals, notably the human rights organisation Fair Trials International, the Commission has promised to look seriously into whether EU rules on detention should be introduced. In De Jong’s view, this would represent “an important first step, and the SP will be continuing to keep a close eye on developments.”

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