Before it Spreads “Like Wildfire”: Prisoners’ Rights in the Time of COVID-19

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There are more than 10.7 million people imprisoned throughout the world. Prisons are notorious incubators and amplifiers of infections, and the fear among inmates due to COVID-19 is deepening all across the world (France, UK, US and Australia among many others). During the current pandemic, protecting prisons from the ‘tidal wave of COVID-19’ proves to be a challenging issue for States. After all, they have obligations and duties under international law to safeguard the human rights of prisoners, particularly their right to life, health and human treatment.

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Is there Hope for the Right to Hope?


The European Court of Human Rights has overturned its former position that convicts sentenced to life in prison enjoy a “right to hope” to be eventually released. Arguably, in this case we have an instance of interpretation of evolution which lowers rather than heightens human rights protection. In the current climate when there is a growing political appetite to curtail human rights, a Court interpretation towards change in this direction without good reasons may create a dangerous precedent for further reduction of basic human rights guarantees.

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Kalter Entzug: Auch Junkies haben Menschenrechte


Drogenabhängigen, die im Gefängnis sitzen, darf der Staat nicht ohne weiteres den Zugang zu Substitutpräparaten wie Methadon verweigern. Mit diesem Urteilsspruch hat der Europäische Gerichtshof für Menschenrechte in Straßburg der bayerischen Drogenbekämpfungs- und Justizvollzugspraxis heute ordentlich einen mitgegeben. Aus verfassungsrechtlicher Perspektive finde ich an der Entscheidung aber vor allem etwas anderes interessant – nämlich, wie unterschiedlich die Welt aussieht, wenn man mit den Augen eines Menschenrechtsgerichtshofs bzw. einer bayerischen Strafvollstreckungskammer betrachtet.

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