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This month the European Commission published a report on the European Arrest Warrant which expressed concern about how the Arrest Warrant is being used across Europe. Although stressing the need for an efficient and effective system of extradition in Europe (a view shared by Fair Trials International), the Commission highlighted the alarming and disproportionate use of the Warrant for low-level crimes, the absence of adequate defence safeguards across the European Union and poor detention conditions for those extradited.
This report followed criticism of the Arrest Warrant from the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg. In March Mr Hammarberg called the Arrest Warrant’s overuse “a threat to human rights” and referred to Fair Trials International’s cases and campaign for reform.
Our “Justice in Europe” campaign is having a direct and measurable impact on European policy. The Commission has now woken up to some of the problems with the operation of the Arrest Warrant, its overuse and some of the serious cases of injustice it has caused. We would like to thank all of those who have supported our work for a system of extradition in Europe which is both fair and effective.
source:Guardian comment piece by Catherine Heard, Head of Policy at Fair Trials International