Legal Resources

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2024

7 countries

This compilation gathers the most important judgments and decisions on prison issues handed down by the European Court of Human Rights and the Court of Justice of the European Union.
By reporting on the main trends in European prison case law, it aims to support legal practitioners in the prison field in their research and litigation, as well as to identify blind spots in the European case law to build strategic litigation avenues.


AKTAŞ v. TÜRKİYE  Application no. 64870/19

Prison administration’s refusal to hand over to a prisoner copies of a five-volume book series which had been sent to him by post: violation of Article 10.

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MATYUSHONOK v. UKRAINE  Application no. 34590/06

Numerous cases of ill‑treatment and torture in detention and lack of effective investigation in that respect: violation of Article 3 (substantive and procedural limbs).

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W.W. v. POLAND  Application no. 31842/20

Prison administration’s refusal to allow transgender person to continue hormone therapy in prison: violation of Article 8.

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SAHRAOUI AND OTHERS v. FRANCE  Application no. 35402/20

Death of prisoner suffering from drug addiction from overdose of various medications, some of which had not been prescribed by medical authorities: no violation of Article 2.

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NURLYGAYANOV AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA  Applications nos. 3215/20 and 6 others

Permanent video surveillance in prison cells, including by opposite-sex operators, in cells and in lavatory and shower rooms: violation of Article 8.

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SHUSHKIN and LEBEDEV v. RUSSIA  Applications nos. 20693/19 and 39300/19

Inadequate conditions of transport: violation of Article 3.

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B.D. v. BELGIUM  Application no. 50058/12

Prisoner suffering from mental disorders repeatedly denied the opportunity to have the lawfulness of the extension of his detention in the psychiatric wing of an ordinary prison reviewed and to have it terminated: violation of Article 5 § 4.

Prisoners suffering from mental disorders detained in the psychiatric wing of ordinary prisons without care and treatment appropriate to his state of mental health: violation of Article 5 § 1.

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YASAK v. TÜRKİYE  Application no. 17389/20

Prisoner held in an overcrowded cell where he had to sleep for long periods on a mattress on the floor; personal space between 3 and 4 sq. m.: no violation of Article 3 (concurring opinion of Judge Krenc).

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NAMIK YÜKSEL v. TÜRKİYE  Application no. 28791/10

Restrictions imposed on prisoner’s contact with his four-year-old son staying with his wife in the same prison (one hour weekly non-contact visits with his son and one hour monthly contact visits with his wife and son): no violation of Article 8.

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HALLAÇOĞLU v. TÜRKİYE  Application no. 24514/19

Monitoring by prison authorities of the documents exchanged between a prisoner and his lawyer during their meetings in prison: violation of Article 8.

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ULEDEV AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA  Applications nos. 40663/18 and 3 others

Inadequate conditions of detention for prisoners with disabilities (ex. amputated leg, hemiplegia, syringomyelia, myelopathy): violation of Article 3.

Lack of effective remedy in this respect: violation of Article 13.

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HAJZER AND OTHERS v. HUNGARY  Application nos. 45016/20 and 9 others
GEISZKOPF AND OTHERS v. HUNGARY  Application nos. 10673/21 and 14 others

Prisoners condemned to life sentences with a possibility of release on parole only after having served long periods of time (between 26 years and five months and 33 years and 10 months): violation of Article 3.

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CHAPODZE AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA  Applications nos. 50599/16 and 10 others

Restrictions on family visits in pre‑trial detention facilities (refusals or limitation on the frequency of family visits, physical separation and supervision during family visits, refusal of phone calls to family): violation of Article 8.

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KROTOV v. UKRAINE (dec.)  Application no. 30289/17

Lack of access to appropriate care and medical treatment for a prisoner with disability (amputated arms and legs): struck out (applicant died during examination of the case, NGO found to lack locus standi).

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DIANOVA AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA  Applications nos. 21286/15 and four others

Termination by police officers of a hunger strike in a public space in protest at the use of torture in Russian prisons and subsequent administrative conviction: violation of Article 11.

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TUGANOV AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA  Applications nos. 14539/20 and 49 others
SAUTIYEVA AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA  Applications nos. 8936/20 and 50 others
PANICHEV AND OTHERS v. RUSSIA  Applications nos. 6534/20 and 49 others

Inadequate conditions of transport: violation of Article 3.

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KURT AND OTHERS v. TÜRKİYE  Application nos. 29715/19 and 9 others

Electronic recording and storage of prisoners’ correspondence on a national judicial computer system; measures regulated by unpublished regulations to which prisoners did not have access: violation of Article 8.

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ÇİFTÇİ v. TÜRKİYE  Application no. 27553/19

Monitoring by prison authorities of the applicant’s meetings with his lawyer in prison: violation of Article 8.

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