The Netherlands Committee of Jurists for Human Rights (NJCM), the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and Justice have published their analysis of the proposed EU directive on the presumption of innocence, and made recommendations for amendments, to ensure its compliance with international human rights law.

The briefing paper welcomes the aim of the initiative of the Commission’s proposed directive, to protect both the presumption of innocence and the right to be present at trial in EU law. However, it notes there are some aspects of the Commission proposal that should be strengthened. The ICJ, JUSTICE and NJCM also raise concerns that some of the amendments proposed by the Council in its General Approach would unduly limit the rights guaranteed in the directive, so that they offer less protection than that provided under international human rights law, including the European Convention on Human Rights, in accordance with the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights.

Download the legal briefing.