I would like to help today and donate

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

First Name

Last Name

Country

Card Number

Expiry Date MM

YY

CSV (what is this?)

Address Line 1

Address Line 2 (optional)

City

Postcode

Telephone

Email

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

First Name

Last Name

Country

Card Number

Expiry Date MM

YY

CSV (what is this?)

Address Line 1

Address Line 2 (optional)

City

Postcode

Telephone

Email

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Select a country on the map or a topic below to see the relevant updates

All

Short Update: NGO Antigone publishes report on Italian prisons in the time of coronavirus

Short Update: European Prison Observatory publishes 8th COVID-19 update on prisons in Europe

Short Update: Indian police action results in 15 deaths during lockdown

Short Update: Hungarian Government has adopted over 70 emergency decrees - tracker

Short Update: Argentina’s grants of house arrest “are not exceptional,” despite online claims

Short Update: Assessing and managing coronavirus risk in UK court buildings

Short Update: UK barristers demand cleaner magistrates' courts

Short Update: BAME people in the UK fined more than white population under coronavirus laws

Short Update: The UK Joint Committee on Human Rights shares its second briefing on lockdown regulations

Short Update: ‘With luck’ courts will reopen by the end of June says Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales

Short Update: Court caseload expected to increase by 4 million new cases after pandemic in Spain

Short Update: A total of 313 assaults on emergency workers in the first month of lockdown prosecuted in the UK

Short Update: COVID-19 infections detected in the three youth detention centres of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Short Update: Survey in Ireland shows impact of COVID-19 on Garda station access to a lawyer

Short Update: Rules for consultations in prisons in Hungary

Commentary: Overview of measures taken in response to COVID-19 and their impact on criminal justice in Western Balkans and Turkey

Short Update: Rights groups urge police to review 14,000 coronavirus fines

Short Update: Maximum lockdown penalties rise to £1,920 in Wales

Short Update: NYC prisons heavily affected by COVID-19

Short Update: Possible backlog of 3,000 trials by next March in Scotland

Short Update: Procedural deadlines to resume in Spain on 4 June

Short Update: Man sentenced to death in Singapore on Zoom call

Short Update: The Brennan Center makes recommendations to reduce prison population during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Short Update: Czech Republic prosecutors offices returning to normal functioning

Commentary: LGBTQI+ community suffers abuse under gender-based lockdown rules in Latin America

Short Update: lockdown and aggressive testing halts worst COVID-19 outbreak in Californian prison

Short Update: Police in California considers rapid-result tests for arrested persons

Short Update: Council of European Union publishes information on impact of COVID-19 on cooperation in criminal matters

Short Update: Lawyers in Malta argue for introduction of virtual court hearings

Short Update: France called upon to end discriminatory police checks and fines

Short Update: European Prison Observatory publishes seventh COVID-19 update on prisons in Europe

Short Update: Criminals to avoid day in court while legal backlog is cleared

Short Update: Visits soon to start again in Belgian prisons

Short Update: Greece enacts new law to relieve congestion in the criminal courts upon the lifting of their temporary closure

Short Update: Greece extends court closures until 31 May 2020

Short Update: JUSTICIA European Rights Network issues statement on prison conditions amid COVID-19

Short Update: UK High Court rules detention pending surrender under EAW is lawful even if extradition cannot take place temporarily due to COVID-19

Short Update: Litigation helps to protect vulnerable groups in Nepal during COVID-19 pandemic

Short Update: All prosecutions under the Coronavirus Act in England & Wales unlawful

Short Update: Roma across Europe facing further police brutality due to COVID-19

Short Update: Prisoner release schemes in the US result only a small reduction of the prison population

Commentary: Стрімкий перехід на дистанційне правосуддя

Short Update: The JHRC drafts Bill to protect personal data gathered by COVID-19 Contract Tracing App

Short Update: Summer recess in the High Court and Court of Appeal could be cancelled in bid to battle backlog

Short Update: CPS Review found that 56 people have been charged wrongly under emergency coronavirus legislation

Short Update: Video calls to be introduced to prisons and young offender institutions in England & Wales

Short Update: 7,556 arrests and 869.537 fines proposals since the start of emergency in Spain

Short Update: The Czech Republic courts are slowly getting back to normal operations

Short Update: UK Prisons and Probation Ombudsman to continue to operate remotely

Short Update: England and Wales courts to test listing cases by firms

Short Update: Challenges to the right to a fair trial in the Netherlands

Short Update: UK Lord Chief Justice in favour of remote hearings for civil and family matters

Short Update: Court activity to gradually resume in France

Short Update: UK continues to treat stalking offences and domestic abuses as high priority

Short Update: Chilean president promulgates a ‘pardon law’ in response to of COVID-19

Short Update: Quebec’s Superior Court in Canada agrees that COVID-19 could justify releasing prisoners

Short Update: 30 percent of prisoners infected with COVID-19 at a prison in central Colombia

Short Update: Prison and medical NGOs jointly call for masks to be available for everyone, including prisoners

Short Update: UK government shelves plans for early prisoner release

Short Update: UK barristers publish guide to new coronavirus criminal offences to prevent more unlawful prosecutions and convictions

Short Update: Belgian government extends COVID-19 measures validity period

Short Update: UK probation inspections suspended until 2021

Short Update: Courts should consider coronavirus emergency when sentencing, rules UK Court of Appeal

Short Update: Isle of Man exercising excessive policing and enforcement responses to breaches of COVID-19 legislation

Short Update: Four medical staff criminally investigated in Romania after refusing to transfer to a hospital hit by COVID-19

Plantilla de solicitud para la liberación urgente de personas en prisión preventiva

Short Update: Judge questions coronavirus case against ‘homeless’ London man

Commentary: Fair trial concerns following death sentence ruled via ZOOM

Short Update: Ohio police accused of racist lockdown enforcement

Short Update: Lockdown enforced by military police in Honduras

Short Update: European Prison Observatory issues sixth COVID-19 update on prisons in Europe

Commentary: Coronavirus, surveillance and the threat to fair trials

Short Update: Italy releases statistics on fines issued for breaching lockdown laws

Short Update: Jury trials to resume in England & Wales

Short Update: A homeless man charged in the UK for violating lockdown rules

Short Update: Draft law on remote criminal proceedings in Germany draws criticism from judges

Short Update: Further changes in the Hungarian criminal procedure due to COVID-19

Short Update: New York police accused of racist social distancing policing

Short Update: New York doubles fines for breaking social distancing rules

Short Update: Woman arrested in the US for operating salon in defiance of Texas order released

Short Update: People being criminalised under Bulgarian emergency laws

Short Update: Home Office threatening UK immigration judges about high levels of bail applications granted

Short Update: Dutch court sentences person to three weeks of imprisonment for spitting at police officers

Short Update: Challenges to effective access to a lawyer in the Netherlands

Short Update: COVID cases continue to rise in UK prisons

Short Update: UK lags behind other European countries in prisoner releases

Short Update: UK House of Lord's discusses government's assessment on the inconsistency of policy and guidance related to policing during Covid-19

Short Update: Defendants more likely to be jailed in video hearings, UK study warns amid rise of remote justice

Short Update: EU warns that people’s rights and data must be protected in the development of ‘contact-tracing’ apps

Short Update: EU Parliament committee to consider how states have undermined the rule of law in their response to coronavirus

Short Update: Belgium has reduced its prisoner population by 11% to prevent the spread of coronavirus, but there are fears over a ‘boomerang’

Short Update: UK NGO carries out study of fully virtual trial

Short Update: Romanian prosecutors open almost 400 criminal cases against people for “undermining the fight” against coronavirus

Commentary: Rule of law concerns amid COVID-19 emergency measures and new criminal offences

Short Update: Jury trials in England and Wales could be reduced to seven people

Commentary: Impact assessment of remote justice on fair trial rights

Commentary: An overview of how Albania is responding to the COVID-19 crisis

Short Update: UK MPs warn that police enforcement of lockdown measures over Easter could breach human rights laws

Short Update: UK College of Policing announces new measures for police force recruitment during COVID-19

Short Update: MOJ and HMCTS issue press release on new technology to keep criminal justice system operating during the pandemic

Short Update: Scotland is set to release up to 450 prisoners to prevent the spread of coronavirus

Short Update: Greece’s courts resuming operations after easing of lockdown

Short Update: COVID-19 crisis poses challenges for the German courts, particularly in white-collar crime proceedings

Short Update: UK MPs investigate impact of COVID-19 on courts as barristers say justice “ground to a halt”

Short Update: 40 inmates killed in a prison riot in Venezuela after relatives barred from bringing food

Short Update: UK House of Commons Justice Committee investigates impact of COVID-19 on courts

Short Update: Belgian government extends COVID-19 measures

Short Update: Belgian inmates manufacture masks, virtual visits available in prisons

Short Update: Prosecutors to review all charges under coronavirus law in the United Kingdom

Short Update: Philippines releases nearly 10 000 prisoners to curb the spread of virus in prisons

Short Update: Matrix Chambers publishes legal advice on smartphone contact tracing in the United Kingdom

Short Update: Big Brother Watch report details misuse of emergency police powers in UK

Commentary: La pandemia que evidencia y agudiza la mortalidad del abandono en las prisiones de América Latina - ¿Quién asume la responsabilidad?

Short Update: El Salvador responds to COVID-19 crisis with inhumane prison conditions for gang members

Short Update: Court closures lead to extended pre-trial detention for New York defendants

Short Update: A prisoner in Texas dies of COVID-19 weeks after giving birth to a child on a ventilator

Short Update: Lawyers in the Netherlands call for more prisoners to be released despite reluctance from the Ministry of Justice

Short Update: Measures in Germany to reduce prisoner numbers

Short Update: Austria to ease restrictions on visits to prisons

Short Update: German Love Parade proceedings terminated without judgment due to COVID-19-related delay

Short Update: UK College of Policing's CEO requests police officers and staff contribute to a 'COVID-19 Police Ideas Survey'

Short Update: on legal practitioner key workers and testing in England and Wales

Short Update: UK Ministry of Justice further expands prison estate to reduce the spread of Coronavirus

Short Update: France achieves 6,000 prisoner releases, but haltingly, and with glaring gaps in protection

Commentary: Overview of the legal framework and current situation on implementation of the COVID-19 measures in the courts of Russia

Short Update: Spanish civil society organisations launch "know your rights" campaign amidst COVID restrictions

Short Update: Spanish prisons effectively contain COVID

Short Update: Defendants in major Spanish corruption case freed pending trial due to COVID

Short Update: Belgian government extends COVID-19 measures validity period

Short Update: Belgian inmates manufacture masks, virtual visits available in prisons

Short Update: An international law perspective on the release of prisoners in Latin America due to COVID-19

Short Update: UN High Commissioner says that “exceptional” COVID-19 measures must not be used as cover for human rights violations

Short Update: Man in Singapore arrested and fined $1500 after leaving quarantine 30 minutes early

Short Update: Another unlawful Coronavirus Act arrest, prosecution and conviction in England

Short Update: The Spanish government has published its plan to deal with delays to proceedings

Short Update: Police in the Netherlands given power to take saliva samples for corona-related crimes

Short Update: Limited reopening of court rooms in the Netherlands on 11 May 2020

Short Update: UK publishes paper on the population strategy for prisons that has been adopted during the pandemic

Short Update: The infrastructure of the criminal bar is at “immediate mortal risk” according to The England and Wales Criminal Bar Association

Short Update: UK government publishes two policy papers on COVID-19 temporary prisoner releases

Short Update: UK government facing court over its response to COVID-19 in prisons

Short Update: The Court of Justice of the European Union is set to resume hearings from 25 May

Short Update: Australian government plans to bring in mobile phone app to track people with coronavirus

Short Update: HMCTS and MOJ update their guidance on courts and tribunals planning and preparation

Short Update: Criminal law firm in UK complains that solicitors were required to go to the cells despite coronavirus concerns

Short Update: UK Ministry of Justice increases funding for victim and witness helplines

Short Update: New infections in UK prisons during coronavirus

Short Update: Ten temporary Judicial Commissioners to act under the Coronavirus Act 2020 in UK

Short Update: Law Society in UK publishes overview of availability of pro bono legal advice during COVID-19

Short Update: Short-term prisoners considered for early release in Scotland

Short Update: Leicestershire Police in UK clarify coronavirus powers in a FOIA response

Short Update: United Kingdom’s House of Lords discusses the impact of COVID-19 on prisoners

Short Update: Law Society, the Bar Council, and Criminal Bar Association in UK consider ways of starting jury trials

Short Update: London Criminal Courts' Solicitors Association publishes instructions for defence advocates attending video remand hearings

Short Update: National Police Chief’s Council in UK updates the processing of COVID-19 related FOIA requests

Short Update: UK Prison and Probation Ombudsman to continue to investigate deaths in prison on a remote basis

Commentary: The Coronavirus Act, the right to a fair trial and remote justice

Short Update: Prisoners in the Czech Republic given access to Skype so that they can continue to contact their lawyers during the pandemic

Short Update: The Czech Republic restricts access to courts and prosecutors’ offices

Short Update: Rhineland-Palatinate Association of Judges promotes video hearings in certain criminal proceedings because of COVID-19

Short Update: Japan considers releasing prisoners to slow COVID’s spread

Short Update: UK's Hansard Society publishes a coronavirus statutory instruments dashboard

Short Update: Lancashire police officer suspended after threatening to "make something up" to arrest a man he suspected of breaching lockdown

Short Update: Up to 100,000 additional deaths predicted in US prisons and jails if population not reduced

Short Update: Cyprus criminalises migrants unable to comply with restrictions

Short Update: Norway releases prisoners to prevent spread of coronavirus in prisons

Short Update: Greece confers to state and municipal police powers to implement the emergency measures against COVID-19

Short Update: Greek Public Prosecutors receive circular order for the prosecution of crimes relating to COVID-19 pandemic

Short Update: Greek laws impose criminal sanctions for the violation of the government’s measures against COVID-19

Short Update: UK equalities watchdog warns that online hearings could impede access to justice

Short Update: New website on remote justice to help justice professionals

Short Update: US prisons monitor detainees' phone calls for mentions of “coronavirus”

Short Update: Remote justice trials in Irish courts

Short Update: French courts refuse electronic communications with lawyers

Short Update: Reduction in French prison population

Short Update: The state of the spread of COVID-19 in French prisons

Short Update: French MP challenges refusal to access to detention facility

Commentary: The effects of COVID-19 on access to justice in Sweden

Short Update: French Court rejects application to order government to provide lawyers and suspects with protective equipment

Short Update: SOS-Torture Network guidance for the protection and support of detained persons during the COVID-19 crisis

Short Update: Osservatorio Antigone publishes new update on Prisons in Italy during the Coronavirus Pandemic

Commentary: Preserving procedural safeguards during the COVID-19 crisis- a Serbian perspective

Short Update: Increased calls for the release of inmates to reduce the coronavirus risk in Nevada’s prisons

Short Update: Delays, video link hearings and custody time limits for children in the criminal courts in the UK

Short Update: UK Justice Secretary rules out judge only trials as solution to virus backlog

Short Update: Public must risk prosecution to challenge lockdown fines, Justice Secretary says

Short Update: Justice Secretary warns police not to 'single out' people on social media for lockdown breaches

Short Update: UK Civil Nuclear Constabulary, a special police force, announced additional powers to collect personal data

Short Update: Sentencing Council states in new guidance that transmission of COVID-19 should be treated as an aggravating factor

Short Update: UK Justice Select Committee begin an inquiry into the impact of COVID-19 on prisons and courts

Short Update: The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies published a comparative tracker for prison conditions across Europe during COVID-19

Short Update: The National Police Chiefs' Council published guidance on police custody provision during COVID-19

Short Update: Fraud watchdog reports rise in COVID-related cybercrime and police seizures

Short Update: Fully remote jury test in the UK a 'success for open justice'

Short Update: UK's MOJ published Covid-19 specific guidance for Registered Intermediaries involved within the Witness Intermediary Scheme

Short Update: The Justice Secretary faces legal action over his handling of the coronavirus outbreak in prisoners across England and Wales

Short Update: UK coronavirus prison plan on hold after six inmates freed in error

Short Update: Scottish government to allow mobile phones in Scottish prisons for prisoners in lieu of prison visits

Short Update: UK's FOS publishes guidance to help consumers avoid scams and fraud during the pandemic

Short Update: UK's judiciary provides a note of listings in magistrates' courts

Short Update: CPS publishes a summary of the new coronavirus offences

Short Update: UCLA develops comprehensive spreadsheet to track prison confirmed cases and deaths

Short Update: The Justice Collaborative Institute has published a report on the job of US public defenders representing their clients during the COVID-19 pandemic

Short Update: Upstate New York Prison failed to contain the COVID-19 outbreak

Short Update: Colorado Supreme Court denies petition for more actions to limit COVID-19 in jails

Short Update: Kosovo police urged to stop illegal arrests for breaches of health regulations

Short Update: NGO Liberty explains police powers under UK lockdown regulations

Short Update: Teenager in the US threatened with arrest for posting online about her COVID-19 infection

Short Update: Italian courts urged to use alternatives to detention and to release prisoners

Short Update: Lack of guidelines for filing court submissions create uncertainty in Poland

Short Update: European Prison Observatory issues third COVID-19 update on prisons in Europe

Short Update: 37 NGOs call for the reduction of pre-trial detention in Turkey

Short Update: German public prosecutor agrees to end German Love Parade proceedings as statute of limitations approaches amid COIVD-19 pandemic

Short Update: UK police admit second wrongful conviction under lockdown laws

Short Update: Heads of EU Institutions urged to call for amnesty of vulnerable prisoners

Short Update: Number of English and Welsh courts in operation shown in interactive map

Short Update: Further guidance for the police in England on enforcing lockdown laws

Short Update: 84 countries have now declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Short Update: EU Commissioner for Justice writes to EU justice ministers to highlight plans on EAW and victims of crime

Short Update: Hungarian government representative rejects the idea of decreasing the number of detainees

Short Update: The Hungarian Ombudsperson launches an ex officio investigation

Short Update: Police station legal assistance given remotely in Northern Ireland

Short Update: Asylum seekers in Cyprus detained in crowded camps, with limited access to a lawyer

Short Update: Cyprus suspend all non-urgent hearing and court submissions

Short Update: European Prison Observatory issues fourth COVID-19 update on prisons in Europe

Short Update: Greece extends court closures until 15th of May

Short Update: Albania introduces new criminal offences raising concerns

Short Update: Rule of law concerns in Albania as government restricts rights by ministerial decree

Short Update: Albania courts only examining urgent cases

Commentary: Selective release of people in prison undermines efforts to contain COVID-19

Short Update: The Czech Republic issues Act to mitigate the impact of the epidemic

Short Update: Skype, additional phone calls and no infected detainees in Hungarian prisons

Short Update: The HM Chief Inspector of Prisons issues statement and materials

Short Update: Mexican Senate approves amnesty for first-time non-violent offenders

Short Update: Rights at risk for Polish prisoners

Short Update: Greece extends court closures until April 26

Short Update: Spain releases more people to home confinement

Short Update: New guide by Madrid Bar analyses impact of exceptional legal regime on human rights

Short Update: Concerns over effectiveness of remote justice in France

Short Update: UK's Legal Aid Agency and Courts and Tribunals Services update contingency guidance for COVID-19

Short Update: Argentina’s National Committee Against Torture publishes a set of guidelines to reduce prison population amid the Coronavirus pandemic

Short Update: NGO Pastoral Carceraria discloses questionnaire data on prison conditions and COVID-19 in Brazil

Short Update: Colombia enacts new decree to release detainees and alleviate overcrowding in prisons

Short Update: Penal Reform International Paper on “Healthcare and human rights of people in prisons”

Short Update: Interim Guidance by OHCHR/WHO Inter-Agency Standing Committee – COVID-19: Focus on Persons Deprived of their Liberty

Short Update: Poland introduces as a minor offence failing to comply with the instructions of the police or city guard

Short Update: Romania extends the state of emergency from April 15, 2020 to May 14, 2020

Short Update: Suspension of San Marino’s judicial activity

Commentary: Uncharted waters: trial by Skype

Short Update: Prison sentences can be suspended or deferred to protect the health of prisoners in Czech Republic

Short Update: The Czech Republic prohibits visitations in prisons

Short Update: UK National Police Chiefs' Council Chair delivers speech at government COVID-19 briefing covering enforcement data

Short Update: UK prosecutors publish list of recent charges brought for coronavirus-related offences

Short Update: UK announces expansion of prisons to reduce the spread of coronavirus

Short Update: Dutch district courts no longer limiting hearings to urgent criminal cases only, but without presence of defendant

Short Update: Prosecutors in The Netherlands using super expedited proceedings to prosecute coronavirus-related crimes

Short Update: The Netherlands expands use of video conferencing to all types of criminal defence proceedings

Short Update: Romanian courts are turning to videoconferencing facilities for hearings

Short Update: Bucharest Bar Association distributes masks and gloves to lawyers

Short Update: UK Chambers Matrix launched Podcasts on how rule of law is holding up in the COVID-19 crisis

Commentary: Covid-19 and the dangers of providing police station legal advice in England and Wales

Short Update: The Council of Justice of Spain, published a set of measures to respond to the interruption of the justice system due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Short Update: Association ALA sends a letter to the Ministry of the Interior, highlighting the need to improve prison conditions to safeguard the integrity of people deprived of their liberty

Short Update: Association ALA requests appropriate Legal Assistance to Detainees in a letter addressed to the Superior Court of Justice in Madrid

Short Update: Prosecutors to prioritise serious cases to manage impact of coronavirus pandemic

Short Update: Courts remain closed in France and access to a lawyer is restricted due to COVID-19

Short Update: Overcrowding situation is highly critical in French prisons

Short Update: the European Prison Observatory published its second update on COVID-19 and European prisons

Short Update: Romania increases punishments for social distancing offences

Short Update: Tens of thousands prisoners in Turkey to be released to curb the spread of coronavirus in prisons, but political prisoners excluded

Short Update: UK Courts and Tribunals Services publishes practical guidance for court users on remote court hearings in England & Wales

Short Update: Latvia prohibits prison visits and extends phone privileges

Short Update: Latvia postpones non-essential hearings and moves towards increasing use of videoconferencing

Commentary: Silver lining to a very dark cloud: what could we learn from the COVID-19 crisis? A French perspective

Short Update: Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or degrading Treatment or Punishment releases guidelines

Short Update: Peru closes its prisons until 26 April due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Short Update: Prisons in Poland ban visits and significantly restrict other rights

Short Update: Belgium sends inmates home and facilitates police work

Short Update: Courts in the Czech Republic permitted to defer prison sentences

Short Update: Czech Republic prohibits prison visits, except for lawyers

Short Update: The Czech Republic prosecutors’ offices set their own restrictions

Short Update: The Czech Republic restricts court activity to “essential services”

Short Update: UK Parole Board clarifies COVID-19 prisoner early release scheme

Short Update: UK Parole Board announces changes to victims’ engagement during COVID-19

Short Update: COVID-19 pushes legal advice agencies in UK to 'breaking point'

Short Update: Legal aid firms in London urged to let lawyers stay at home

Short Update: London police asked to reveal guidance given to officers enforcing social distancing rules

Short Update: UK Court service publishes ‘courts and tribunals tracker’

Commentary: Delays due to COVID-19 at Spanish criminal courts, but advancements in disclosure

Short Update: EU sets up COVID-19 Crisis Group on the European Arrest Warrant

Short Update: COVID-19 toolkit for civil society on responding to human rights risks from emergency powers

Short Update: Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative recommends easing overcrowding of prisons in response to COVID-19 crisis

Short Update: Spanish judiciary council is considering measures to catch up on court delays post-crisis

Short Update: Spanish civil society launches campaign for the release of inmates

Short Update: Diverging approaches in Madrid police stations and courts on remote justice measures

Short Update: Council of Europe issues guidance to governments on respecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law during COVID-19 crisis

Short Update: CCBE publishes results from survey on impact of COVID-19 measures on access to a lawyer in Europe

Short Update: Right to visit prisoners is suspended in Luxembourg and lawyers are invited to contact clients by phone or letter

Short Update: Luxembourg courts suspend hearings and interrogations not involving detention, but emergency requests may still be made

Short Update: Criminal proceedings in Luxembourg conducted in writing and by email

Short Update: Release of UK prisoners to address challenges of social distancing in prisons

Short Update: Tensions high in UK prisons under lockdown to prevent further spread of COVID-19 contagion

Short Update: UK police arrest and detain a group of people, including a teenager, for being in “enclosed premises”

Short Update: UK police and legal chiefs agree COVID-19 interview protocol

Commentary: Pre-trial detention decision-making during the COVID-19 crisis: the urgent need for open justice

Short Update: German court intends to terminate Love Parade proceedings due to COVID-19

Short Update: French decree establishes extensive use of videolinks and other measures in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Short Update: France adapts its statute of limitations in criminal proceedings

Short Update: Dutch Ministry of Justice provides updates on measures for prosecution and judiciary, and the criminal law system in general

Short Update: England and Wales increases the Victim Surcharge by 5%

Short Update: New police guidance issued by the United Kingdom National Police Chiefs' Council on the Coronavirus Act 2020

Short Update: 'Lower priority' crime cases put on hold in England and Wales

Short Updates: Northern Ireland's Lord Chief Justice provided guidance for courts

Short Update: Ireland announces increase in Direct Provision accommodation as an emergency response to COVID-19

Short Update: The Court of Justice of the European Union adapts to COVID-19 to ensure continuity of the European public administration of justice

Short Update: FAMM, Washington Lawyers’ Committee, NACDL Launch Emergency Compassionate Release Effort

Short Update: All COVID-19 cases are top priority in the UK according to Interim CPS Charging Protocol

Short Update: Spain’s Supreme Court blocks efforts to send jailed Catalan leaders home during the Coronavirus lockdown

Commentary: COVID-19 - What does all this mean for your ability to defend your clients’ right to a fair trial? – the Portuguese case

Short Update: German court allows for extension of pre-trial detention if hearings are delayed due to COVID-19

Short Update: Germany restricts prison visits due to COVID-19

Short Update: Germany introduces measures in courts and public prosecutor's offices to protect citizens and judicial staff from COVID-19

Short Update: Imprisonment in Germany can be interrupted or postponed

Short Update: New legislation in Germany extends permissible delays in criminal trials

Short Update: EUROPRIS launches a website tracking COVID-19 prevention measures in European prisons

Short Update: UK relaxes legal aid requirements and procedures

Short Update: UK imposes restrictions on prisoners and prison conditions

Short Update: UK publishes new procedure for custody time limit cases

Short Update: Up to 4,000 prisoners in England and Wales are to be temporarily released from jail

Short Update: Several organisations urge the Council of Europe to take measures to reduce prison populations

Short Update: Pregnant prisoners are to be temporarily released from custody in England and Wales

Commentary: COVID-19- A Threat to Fair Criminal Justice?

Short Update: Coughs use as a threat towards key workers will be charged as assault in England and Wales

Short Update: New public health regulations strengthen police powers in England to reduce the spread of coronavirus

Short Update: COVID-19 emergency law in Hungary gives indefinite ruling power to government and criminalises criticism

Short Update: Commissioner for Human Rights calls on European states to take urgent steps to protect rights of prisoners

Commentary: US criminal justice systems respond to COVID-19’s threat

Short Update: Courtrooms in the UK effectively closed to public scrutiny as more hearings become virtual

Short Update: Court of Justice of the European Union announces plans for continued activities during COVID-19 outbreak

Short Update: New guidance issued for prosecutors and investigators in response to Coronavirus outbreak

Short Update: Police in UK criticised for overzealous enforcement of lockdown laws

Short Update: UK not doing enough to keep defendants and defence lawyers safe during COVID-19 outbreak

Short Update: Children more likely to face arrest under laws to enforce UK lockdown

Short Update: Extended police powers resulting in more police violence and discrimination in France

Short Update: Lawyers in Belgium call for equal access to the case file amid COVID-19 crisis

Short Update: Belgium suspends extradition to Spain due to COVID-19 crisis

Open Letter: Family members of people deprived of liberty in Mexico in the face of COVID-19

Commentary: National Justice Council of Brazil issues recommendations concerning COVID-19 in the criminal justice system

Short Update: Dutch court rejects applications to be heard in person

Short Update: Dutch courts suspends pre-trial detention due to health risk concerns

Template application for the urgent release from pre-trial detention

Safeguarding the right to a fair trial during the coronavirus pandemic: remote criminal justice proceedings

Short Update: Center for American Progress collecting examples of police enforcement of stay at home orders

Short Update: Marshall Project Tracker on US criminal justice system responses to COVID-19

Short Update: Mexican organisation Equis tracks court orders related to COVID-19

Short Update: Court orders related to COVID-19 for all US federal and state courts

Commentary: Extradition to Italy should be delayed amid the coronavirus health crisis

Short Update: Madrid court issues guidance on access to a lawyer in the police station

Short Update: In Bulgaria, legal requirement threatened (then withdrawn) on wearing masks in public

Short Update: Council of Europe monitors judiciaries' COVID-19 emergency measures

Short Update: Belgian courts adopt new rules in response to COVID-19

Short Update: Concerns over changes to pre-trial detentions rules in France

Commentary: Does the COVID-19 disease infect the rule of law in Italy?

Short Update: Global tracker launched on surveillance, data exploitation and misinformation

Short Update: Global tracker service launched to monitor the pandemic’s impacts on journalism

Short Update: Global tracker service launched on emergency laws that affect civic freedoms and human rights

Short Update: Overcrowded prisons in India to release thousands prisoners on remand

Short Update: New guidance issued on public health protections in prisons in India and globally

Short Update: Recommendations issued to the judiciary in Brazil reduce numbers of prisoners

Short Update: French Emergency law - impacts on criminal law and criminal procedure

Short Update: Ireland imposes restrictions on prison visits

Short Update: Ireland adopts emergency measures to be taken to alleviate overcrowding in prison

Short Update: Surveillance tools being developed in Romania to monitor compliance with quarantines

Short Update: Longer sentences and new criminal offences created in Romania

Short Update: Three prisoners die after fire in Romanian prison amid Covid-19 restrictions

Short Update: Spanish Ministry of Justice issues instructions on prisoners’ communication with their lawyers

Short Update: Romania suspends obligations of people serving non-custodial sentences

Short Update: Madrid Bar publishes guide on protecting lawyers’ health while protecting defence rights

Short Update: Restrictions on access to a lawyer in the Netherlands

Short Update: Belgian advocacy for effective healthcare provision for prisoners

Short Update: New rules on entering court buildings in Hungary

Short Update: Extraordinary judicial vacation lifted in Hungary

Commentary: Mexico prison conditions deeply concerning amid COVID-19 outbreak

Commentary: The impact of Spain’s COVID-19 measures on the criminal justice system

Short Update: Paris attorneys file for release of clients

Short Update: CJEU and ECHR suspend all hearings

Short Update: Lawyers in Brussels filing for release of detained clients

Short Update: UK Government requires courts to go remote

Short Update: Spain suspends court activities, makes exceptions for habeas corpus

Short Update: Spain restricts court activity to “essential services”

Short Update: Legal aid lawyers, restricted from client visits, turn to phone consultations in Spain

Short Update: In Spain, more prisoners are granted home confinement

Short Update: Spanish police make arrests and issue thousands of fines for leaving home

Short Update: In Spain, organisations seek additional access to medical care for detainees

Short Update: Spanish courts close and limit activities to urgent matters

Short Update: Without national instructions, Madrid courts working out solutions

Short Update: Police crack down on freedom of movement in Spain

Short Update: Romanian prisons suspend visits but grant greater access to online communication

Short Update: Romania to conduct court proceedings via video conference

Short Update: President of Romania orders courts closed during state of emergency

Short Update: Netherlands reportedly considering relaxing limits on length of pre-trial detention

Short Update: Language interpretation now being performed remotely in the Netherlands

Short Update: Prison visiting room hours cancelled in the Netherlands

Short Update: In the Netherlands, courts closed for non-urgent cases

Short Update: With courts closed, Dutch attorneys are working to rapidly dispose of non-urgent cases

Short Update: Call for alternatives to incarceration in Italy

Short Update: In Italy, overcrowding threatens prison environment

Short Update: Ireland enacts far-reaching legislation granting the health minister special powers

Short Update: Ireland grants early release to 200 prisoners in response to the outbreak

Short Update: Ireland’s District Courts drops requirement for bail suspects to appear at hearings

Short Update: Hungarian lawyers filing motions to release given circumstances

Short Update: Hungarian courts go into recess

Short Update: Greece restricts prison access while moving to grant early release

Short Update: Greece suspends most court proceedings

Short Update: Germany considers suspending criminal trials during the outbreak

Short Update: In Belgium, lawyers argue cases without defendants present

Short Update: Hungarian Ministry of Justice clarifies that defence lawyers may meet with their clients despite social distancing measures

Short Update: Ireland adopts harsher prisoner restraints, following example of the United Kingdom

Short Update: French Prisons Move to Restrict Visiting Room Hours

Short Update: Bulgaria grants special powers to police to enforce lockdown and stop fake news

Short Update: Bulgaria bans prison visits, including by monitoring bodies

Short Update: Bulgaria moves to severely restrict in-person court appearances

Short Update: Bulgaria grants wide-ranging new powers to police

The Public Health Need to Keep People out of Detention - Practical Guidance

Key resources

Plantilla de solicitud para la liberación urgente de personas en prisión preventiva

Template application for the urgent release from pre-trial detention

Safeguarding the right to a fair trial during the coronavirus pandemic: remote criminal justice proceedings

The Public Health Need to Keep People out of Detention - Practical Guidance

Keep up to date

COVID-19 Justice Project Newsletter

Activities in the following sections on this website are supported by the Justice Programme of the European Union: Legal Experts Advisory Panel, Defence Rights Map, Case Law Database, Advice Guides and Latest News. More information about our financial supporters is available here.