Country

Germany

Detention issue

FRA research findings

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Legal instruments & key provisions

Legal instrument Key provision
Federal State Level ActsForeign prisoners are not mentioned much in the prison acts of the different states. The only measures address language and translation issues. Accordingly, Bremen and Saxony provide for the involvement of translators/language mediators. The prison acts of Bremen and Baden-Württemberg stipulate that (relevant parts of) their institution rules should be translated into the most prominent foreign languages.

NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM RECOMMENDATIONS

Year Recommendation Report
2021In the past several years, Bavaria has set up video-based interpreting systems in numerous prisons through which sworn interpreters for all necessary languages can be made available at short notice. This allows communication difficulties to be overcome while ensuring that the conversation itself can be kept confidential. Report details
2022The National Agency also welcomes the “Hausordnung in Bildern für Inhaftierte ohne Kenntnisse der deutschen Sprache oder Schrift” (“Facility rules in pictures for inmates without knowledge of (written) German”) at Hamburg Remand Detention Facility. An understanding of the rules and structures of the facility and the boundaries that these set can have a de-escalating effect and prevent crises and conflicts. Report details