European Action Day against prison overcrowding - a full success!




"We are very satisfied with the public resonance and participation of this first European wide Action Day in the prison sector", says EPSU General Secretary, Carola Fischbach-Pyttel. More than 400 delegates from 10 countries (Belgium, France, Spain, Germany, Estonia, Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway) assembled yesterday in Brussels on a common platform of key demands. The central demonstration in Brussels was combined with many national actions, information days in prisons, petition with national parliaments and press conferences.







"We want more and better qualified staff. We want better working and living conditions in prisons. We want that basic human and trade union rights are recognised. We need a European coordinated policy to tackle prison overcrowding by promoting non-custodial measures (electronic tagging or community work). We need to stress the priority on rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society. We want a moratorium on privatisation of prisons!", underlined Nadja Salson, EPSU officer in charge of the European Action Day.





A delegation of EPSU representatives was received by Mr. Lovro Sturm, the current President of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council. He committed to raise the issue of prison overcrowding with his fellow ministers. The European Commission, DG Justice, Freedom and Security, has also shown interest in the EPSU Campaign.

"EPSU is determined to keep up its pressure. We need a public discussion on the role of prisons in society. 'Lock them up' is no sustainable solution to combat crime. We can only address the problem by investing in the social and criminal justice system for fairer and speedier trial processes. We are ready to engage in dialogue with policy makers", concludes Carola Fischbach-Pyttel.




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- Belgium VRT news - 28 January 2008







- Speeches from our delegates from all over Europe























































































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