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

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.

On May 28, 2024, the European Court of Human Rights delivered a landmark judgment declaring that the secret surveillance and data retention practices under Poland’s Anti-Terrorism Act violate citizens’ right to privacy. This case was brought forward by the Panoptykon Foundation, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, and advocate Mikołaj Pietrzak, a valued member of our LEAP Network.