Suspects and accused are in a specific legal situation – on the one hand, they have a number of legal remedies to protect their rights and prove their innocence, on the other hand, the law allows certain restrictions on their rights, despite the fact that they are not proven guilty yet. The social consequences of their participation in the criminal process are often a prerequisite for the violation of their fundamental rights, especially when the proceedings against them are of public interest.

On 24 March 2022, the Center for the Study of Democracy presented a series of studies on the protection of the rights of suspects and accused persons at a conference entitled "The Presumption of Innocence and the Rights of the Suspects and Accused in Criminal Proceedings". The event brought together CSD experts and leading lawyers with extensive experience in the field of criminal justice. 

In the first part of the event, the participants learned about the most frequent violations of the fundamental rights of suspects and accused in different countries in relation to media coverage of criminal cases. The experts from the Centre and the guest speakers also had the opportunity to give their recommendations on how these violations could be avoided.  The second part was devoted to a detailed theoretical and practical analysis of pre-trial detention measures imposed on suspects and accused and possible reforms to ensure the dignity of those against whom they are imposed.