CONFERENCE
On 15–16 May 2025, the annual conference of the European Criminal Law Academic Network (ECLAN) took place at the University of Latvia Faculty of Law. This year’s theme – the presumption of innocence – highlighted the pressing challenges and sparked discussions on the content, boundaries, and protection of this fundamental principle in modern criminal procedure.
The conference brought together leading criminal law researchers, experts, and practitioners from 16 countries: the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, and Germany. The broad international representation underscored the importance of the topic across Europe.
The rich conference programme explored both the historical, philosophical, and theoretical foundations of the presumption of innocence, as well as its application across national legal systems, EU law, and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights. Special attention was given to contemporary challenges—such as the pressure of increasing procedural efficiency, the influence of media and public opinion, the application of the presumption to legal persons, and the confiscation of criminally obtained or unexplained assets.
Discussions demonstrated that the presumption of innocence is not just a theoretical construct, but a living principle that must be actively upheld and defended in the face of legal and social pressures.
The University of Latvia Faculty of Law expresses its gratitude to ECLAN for its trust, to all participants for their engagement, high-quality presentations, and contributions to the discussions. Special thanks go to the Internal Security Academy for its involvement in the scientific programme and the contributions of its lecturers to the substantive content.
Heartfelt appreciation is extended to Professor Kristīne Strada-Rozenberga for her exceptional leadership in organizing the event, to Kitija Koroševska for her active support, and to the Faculty of Law team – Anita Brakša, Baiba Brūvere, Kitija Krastiņa, Nauris Balodis, and Aivis Beķeris – for ensuring the professional and high-level execution of the conference.
The conference was not only a significant contribution to the development of criminal law, but also to the strengthening of international and cross-sectoral cooperation. The University of Latvia Faculty of Law looks to the future with confidence and remains committed to actively shaping the European legal space.
