Constitution of the NetherlandsThe Duchess of Zeon wrote:I suspect that were I to search for an english version of the first article of the Dutch constitution, I'd find a highly restrictive and devisively worded jumble of lawyerspeak that makes citizens of the Netherlands prisons in their own nation out of fear of offending anyone who declares themselves "different", or comes from a foreign land and proceeds to abuse the hospitality of the nation.
That was lengthy... No, I didn't read through it, just took a glance. Nothing untoward there.Marina, if you're interested here's a link to the Finnish Ministry of Justice. Their web pages give a good general breakdown of how the legal system works here. And for your pleasure, the Finnish Constitution.
No, they don't lose them. At least here they retain the right to vote and all other rights. Imprisonment and the fines they must pay are the punishment they get, there are no additional penalties. Most European conutries have that pesky little equality clause in their constitutions, and taking civil rights away from felons would violate that. Obviously some of their rights are restricted for the term of their imprisonment, due to the nature of that punishment, but never are they completely removed. Here in Finland, upon serving out the sentence, all rights are automatically gained back in full, without needing a separate petition. Of course there is the matter of having a criminal record, which makes it more difficult to find a job and all the other negative stuff that comes with that, but they do retain their rights.The Duchess of Zeon wrote:Oh, I am curious - In most European countries, do felons lose their civil rights, or retain them? In the U.S.A. all felons lose their civil rights when convicted, though some can petition a judge to have them reinstated after they've served out their sentences.
Edi