High-level conference on "the criminal justice response to radicalisation" - The discussion between ministers has revealed the extent of the issues raised by new forms of radicalisation and terrorism

The high-level conference on "the criminal justice response to radicalisation" organised jointly by the European Commission and the Presidency of the Council of the EU, which was held on 19 October 2015 in Brussels, saw an exchange of views among policymakers, professionals and experts on effective intervention, the management and the practices of sentencing in order to avoid the spreading of radicalised ideas, inside and outside the EU's prisons, which could lead to acts of terrorism. One of the public events of this conference has been a discussion between eighteen European ministers on their national practices and their expectations towards and within the European Union. The debate revealed the extent of the issues raised.

"The hotbeds of radicalisation are largely located outside prisons"

Christiane Taubira, the French Minister for Justice, felt that it was a good thing that the discussion could also be held between Ministers of Justice. Radicalisation was initially a subject discussed by interior ministers, concerned by the issue of repression. "But justice also contributes to the security response" and can "in time bring responses that actually can reduce the terrorist threat", she emphasised, "depending on the means we put into it". Christiane Taubira spoke of a "relatively new phenomenon" that challenges the procedures and legislative norms, because care must be taken to strengthen the democratic base of public liberties "so as not to provide undue gifts to those who hide behind their religiosity".

Debate during the conference on criminal justice response to radicalization in Brussels on 19 October 2015