The Conference took place in a context where prison overcrowding remains a significant human rights concern in many European countries. The event aimed to provide a platform for dialogue on the challenges and causes of overcrowding and to share best practices, identify concrete solutions at every stage of the criminal justice process in line with the CPT standards, the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and Council of Europe recommendations.

The morning plenary session focused on European challenges and featured contributions from Clare Ovey, Director of Human Rights at the Council of Europe, and Pau Pérez-Sales, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Examples of prison deflation in Bulgaria, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain were then presented. Three panel sessions were dedicated to pre-trial detention, the determination of sentences and alternatives to imprisonment, and the enforcement of sentences and releases from prison. These sessions included case studies from ten countries.

The Conference was closed by Samuel Vuelta Simon, Secretary of State for Justice of Monaco.

It was organised by the Deprivation of Liberty Department and the Department for the Execution of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights of the Council of Europe, within the framework of Monaco’s Presidency of the Committee of Ministers.

You can find out more about the Conference and access the programme here – the speakers’ contributions will be published soon.