SUBMISSION TO THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE ON THE RIGHT TO INFORMATION IN CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

Fair Trials International’s submission to the Ministry of Justice examines the European Commission’s proposal for a Directive on the right to information in criminal proceedings.

The Commission’s draft Directive aims to ensure that everyone arrested in any EU country is given key information about their basic legal rights and the charges against them. FTI welcomes the Commission’s proposal. Our cases regularly demonstrate how damaging the absence of such information can be – effectively destroying the right to a fair trial and making rights that exist in law illusory in practice.

FTI’s submission recommends that the UK opt in to the measure, while suggesting amendments to the text of the Directive.