State Secretary Rutte: "It cannot be the case that someone who decides to evade their sentence or sabotages their ankle bracelet gets away without criminal consequences. With this bill, we are drawing a hard line: sentences must be served and supervision cannot be optional.”
The bill provides for the criminalization of self-liberation for anyone who is detained based on a custodial sentence or deprivation of liberty measure. This applies to detainees serving a prison sentence, who are also liable to prosecution if they escape during leave or return late from leave. If the detainee voluntarily reports within 48 hours after escaping during leave, no prosecution is possible. This allows the detainee a reasonable opportunity to rectify the mistake they made voluntarily. Additionally, a criminalization of evading electronic supervision will be included in the Penal Code. This concerns situations where someone sabotages the ankle bracelet or allows it to run empty.
Consultation
The bill will first go for advice in consultation: citizens, organizations in the criminal justice chain, and experts will have the opportunity to respond. The responses will be used to further improve the bill before it is submitted to the Council of State for advice and then presented to the House of Representatives.
