Fair Trials is the global criminal justice watchdog, campaigning for fairness, equality and justice

Recent developments in the case of Botagoz Jardemalie, a Kazakh refugee and lawyer residing in Belgium, have reignited concerns over Belgium’s judicial cooperation with authoritarian regimes. Despite her recognised refugee status and evidence of persecution, Belgian authorities have persisted in assisting Kazakhstan in pursuing legal proceedings that fail to ensure fundamental human rights.

Flight risk is a common justification for pre-trial detention, but the assessment process is often flawed. Instead of focusing on individual circumstances, decisions may be based on stereotypes about socioeconomic status or nationality. A recent report by Fair Trials sheds light on how the European Court of Human Rights standards can be better implemented and explores regional practices for assessing flight risk.