FTI criticises UK, Ireland, France, Belgium and Netherlands over stance on Legal Advice Directive

Fair Trials International and five other NGOs (Amnesty International, the Open Society Justice Initiative, JUSTICE, the European Criminal Bar Association and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties) have criticised the UK and Irish Governments for their stance on a new law on access to legal advice.

Disappointingly, the UK and Irish Governments have failed to opt into the Commission’s proposed directive on access to legal advice and the right to notify others of arrest, having opted into the previous two “Roadmap” rights (on interpreting and translation, and information on arrest).

They have issued a statement, along with the Netherlands, France and Belgium, criticising the protections contained in the draft proposal, while accepting the need for this measure as part of the “Roadmap”of defence rights to which all EU countries committed in 2009.

FTI believes this is a missed opportunity and sends the wrong message about these countries’ commitment to fair trial rights. We will press for agreement on this crucial safeguard. Without it, the risk of ill-treatment in police custody and unfair extradition and miscarriages of justice, will only increase. We and other NGOs active in the field have written to the five countries making our position clear.