News item | 02-06-2023 | 3:00 PM
The Council of Ministers has approved an amendment to the Penitentiary Principles Act to enable additional measures against serious organized crime from detention.
With the proposal, Minister Weerwind for Legal Protection enables far-reaching restrictions in the communication with the outside world of a detainee placed in the Extra Secure Institution (EBI) or Departments for Intensive Supervision (AIT).
The minister can ban communication options or contacts altogether if there are very serious risks to the safety of society. In addition, visual monitoring of conversations between detainees and their lawyer will be introduced. Furthermore, the proposal states a maximum of two lawyers with whom a detainee can communicate confidentially. This is done to prevent criminal activity, but also for the safety of lawyers who are at risk of being put under pressure by detainees.
Minister Weerwind: “I stand for a safe and just Netherlands. We therefore specifically tackle those small group of criminals who make the Netherlands a lot less safe – even from detention. In addition, I want to prevent prison staff from becoming a target of criminals who exert pressure to lift imposed restrictions. This proposal is an important step in that direction.”
The amendment to the Penitentiary Principles Act does not stand alone. It is part of the broader approach against continued criminal behavior in detention. For example, in the future the Netherlands will have a total of four judicial complexes (in Lelystad, Schiphol, Vlissingen and Vught) where detainees at risk of flight are detained and tried in one safe environment. Finally, there will be a courtroom in the PI Vught as well as a room where video trials can take place in order to reduce dangerous travel movements of detainees at risk of flight as much as possible.