cooperation with specialist services and civil society. This
could also strengthen cooperation between relevant
stakeholders in ensuring the implementation of Victims'
Rights in detention.
•
• Offer access to information on Victims’ Rights as
soon as there is an indication that the detainee may
have been the victim of a criminal offence. When a
situation of victimisation is identified, information on
Victims’ Rights should immediately be given in writing
and orally by Detention Staff.
• Ensure information is provided in plain language
and in a language the detainee understands.
Translation and interpretation services should be
made available for all detainees who do not speak
national languages. Special care should be taken in
respect of vulnerable detainees, such as illiterate or
mentally disabled detainees. The content of
information should be drafted in partnership with
plain language experts to ensure that it is accessible
and easy to use.
•
28
•
Facilitate access to legal advice in Detention Centres.
Put in place legal aid desks in Detention Centres to ensure
access to legal advice and information to detainees.
Create a (free) hotline for detainees to receive first line
legal advice.
•
Train lawyers on Victims’ Rights. Criminal and
immigration lawyers attending clients during detention
should attend training on Victims’ Rights, and be given
tools to help them identify situations of victimisation and
inform detained victims of their rights.
Understanding and knowledge of rights. Adopt clear
guidelines addressed to competent authorities:
• Provide information on Victims’ Rights upon
admission to the Detention Centre. Information
should be provided orally as well as in writing upon
admission, and detainees should be allowed to keep
a copy of the written information on their rights
throughout their detention. Taking into account the
prevalence of violence in detention, and the
reluctance of detainees to report violent crime that
they suffer, information on Victims’ Rights must be
provided before situations of victimisation arise.
•
Bar associations / lawyers / legal aid boards
Improve access and transparency by diversifying
sources of information. Encourage Detention
Administration to collaborate with outside services
supporting victims of crime – including NGOs, legal
clinics, monitoring bodies, Victim Support Services,
detainee support services, etc.
Awareness raising campaigns. Recognise detainees as
a vulnerable group or group at risk of victimisation and
implement awareness raising campaigns and education
programmes on Victims’ Rights aimed at competent
authorities including Detention Staff as well as Victim
Support Services.
Victim Support Services
•
Recognise detainees as an “at-risk” group and be more
proactive in Detention Centres. Overcome the organic
separation between Victim Support Services and other
services, organisations and Detention Staff working with
detainees.
•
Train personnel on the specificities of detained victims
and have a specialised team or person (focal point)
dedicated to them.
•
Coordinate with bar associations and civil society to
organise an information desk on Victims’ Rights.
•
Offer information pamphlets/posters on Victims’ Rights
within Detention Centres.
•
Create a (free) hotline for detainees who suffer violence
during detention.
Law Enforcement and Judicial Authorities
•
When receiving complaints from persons in detention,
ensure that the information on Victims’ Rights is
offered.
Monitoring bodies including NPMs
•
Include a protocol during monitoring of Detention
Centres, so that when receiving complaints from persons
in detention about violence, NPMs and other monitoring
bodies ensure that information on Victims’ Rights and
access to Victim Support Services has duly been provided.
•
Include information on the implementation of Victims’
Rights in Detention Centres in reports following
inspection visits.
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