Between 2020 and 2022, thirteen EU countries reported a total of 488 deaths occurring in custody or during police operations. Despite international calls for transparent reporting on such fatalities, most European countries still do not meet UN standards for investigating these deaths, leaving persistent gaps in accountability and oversight. Inconsistencies and inadequacies in data availability further underscore the challenges in maintaining adequate transparency in law enforcement practices.

This investigation, led by Civio in collaboration with nine European newsrooms, aims to map patterns and levels of transparency surrounding deaths in police custody across the EU from 2010 to 2022. Leveraging national transparency laws to obtain data, the investigative team closely examined incidents where individuals died in police custody or during police operations. The analysis encompassed critical details, including the circumstances and causes of each death, as well as any subsequent judicial proceedings or internal investigations, shedding light on the extent of information available on these cases and areas where transparency falls short.

Main findings:

• Between 2020 and 2022, 488 deaths in custody or during police operations were reported in 13 EU countries, including Spain, France and Germany.
• France had the highest absolute count (107 deaths), while Ireland had the most deaths per capita (1.34 per 100,000 inhabitants).
• Data provided by some EU countries was incomplete; many do not consistently report or publish information on deaths related to police actions. Moreover, the EU lacks a unified definition and methodology for what constitutes a death in custody or guidelines on how such cases should be investigated.
• Gunshot wounds by police are the leading cause of death, accounting for over one-third of cases in countries that reported cause specifics, with France and Germany showing the highest numbers.
• “Natural” causes were the second most frequently reported cause of death, with 55 fatalities classified as such between 2020 and 2022.
• In 2023, the UN emphasized the lack of comprehensive data, noting that EU countries lack a standardized definition and methodology for “deaths in custody”. Moreover, no EU country fully implements the Minnesota Protocol, which requires independent, transparent investigations of deaths involving law enforcement, to address and prevent systemic issues.
• Migrants and individuals with mental health conditions are disproportionately vulnerable to harm or fatalities in custody due to inadequate care, training, and protocols within law enforcement.

The data unit

EDJNet members which took part in this investigation: