Compassionate sentencing – a judge’s perspective from Romania

The following text was spoken by Daniel Mirauta, judge of a Court of Appeals in Romania, at COPE’s Annual Network Meeting in Limerick, June 2023. My name is Daniel Mirauta. I am a judge in Romania, in a Court of Appeals. I judge mainly criminal appeals and my judgments are enforceable and final, so they … Read more

Strip-searching of children visiting a parent in prison banned in Estonia

Thanks to the ongoing advocacy of Estonia’s Chancellor of Justice (CoJ), the rights of children with an imprisoned parent are gaining increased visibility in Estonia, reflected by important shifts in practice. Notably, strip-searching of children visiting prison is now banned in all three prisons in Estonia. The CoJ, the independent supervisor of basic principles of the Constitution … Read more

Call for strengthened protection and care systems to support children and young people

COPE stands alongside 14 other NGOs to call on the international community to protect upon all children impacted by the conflict in Ukraine. A year has passed since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, which has affected and displaced millions of children. Despite the international community’s repeated calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops … Read more

European Commission Recommendation related to detention conditions

On 8 December 2022, the European Commission adopted a Recommendation concerning the procedural rights of suspects and accused persons subject to pre-trial detention and on material detention conditions. The Recommendation expands on a number of standards established in existing legally and non-legally binding instruments on the national, Union and international level including Council of Europe … Read more

COPE end-of-year crowdfunding campaign

This December, COPE is taking the opportunity to launch a crowdfunding campaign. What do donations to COPE go towards? COPE’s overall mission is to safeguard the social, political and judicial inclusion of children with an imprisoned parent, while fostering the pursuit and exchange of knowledge which enhances good practices, and contributes to a better understanding … Read more

Greek Deputy Ombudswoman for Children’s Rights

According to Appendix 1 of the Council of Europe CM/Rec(2018)5, nearly 17,000 children in Greece are separated from a parent in prison (this figure is an extrapolation). Ms. Theoni Koufonikolakou, the Deputy Ombudswoman for Children’s Rights, Greece, calls for the implementation of the Council of Europe CM/Rec(2018)5 and expresses her commitment to protecting the rights and … Read more

Questionnaire for caregivers of children with a parent in conflict with the law

Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) recognises the uniquely important – and challenging – role played by those who care for children when their parent is in prison. Whilst each family’s situation is different, many caregivers may face similar questions: what should I tell the children? How should I speak to the school? How do I respond to … Read more