Unpacking criminal detention rules and regulations across the EU

News Item 20 May 2025 Unpacking criminal detention rules and regulations across the EU Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation Felix Pergande / adobestock, 2025 The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has released an updated version of its online criminal detention database. The update contains national standards, laws and monitoring reports on detention conditions from across the European Union and the United Kingdom. Access the database The database compiles information on various detention issues. These include:Detentions conditions such as the size of cells, sanitary conditions, solitary confinement and external contact, access to healthcare, prison food, surveillance, strip searches, protection from violence and the time prisoners spend out of their cells. Information about specific groups like women, foreign nationals, vulnerable inmates, children and young detainees. The latest case law from the European Court of Human Rights and the EU’s Court of Justice. There is also national case law from over 183 cases across EU countries. Reports from relevant monitoring bodies on detention conditions in the countries covered. Originally launched in 2019, the database was developed to accompany FRA’s report on criminal detention conditions, which compared detention standards and legal frameworks, and their application in practice. The database was developed to support judges and legal professionals who work on cross-border cases. It was previously updated in 2022....