Panel Discussion: What Rights Do People in Prison Have?

What rights do people in prison have? How have these rights changed over time—and what do they mean for daily life behind bars?

These questions will be explored in a panel discussion as part of the “Prison 2026” Action Days(Opens in a new tab) . The panelists include Christine Graebsch, a lawyer and criminologist who has been researching the correctional system for many years, and Thomas Meyer-Falk, who spent 17 years in prison and another ten years in preventive detention. Together, they will attempt to bring these different perspectives together and discuss prisoners’ rights, the reality of the prison system, and the possibilities and limitations of rehabilitation.

No prior knowledge is required—anyone interested is welcome to join the discussion! Registration is not required.

The panel discussion is an event organized by the Correctional System Archive(Opens in a new tab)  at the Faculty of Applied Social Studies as part of the “Prison 2026” Action Days.

This year’s “Prison 2026” Action Days(Opens in a new tab)  are being held under the theme “50 Years of the Correctional System Act—From a Historic New Beginning to a New Relish for Punishment.” Before the Correctional System Act went into effect in 1977, there were no legal regulations governing the correctional system. The law was intended to change that. But what has actually changed since then? To what extent has the law been able to limit arbitrariness in the prison system? Under what conditions do people live in prison today, and what is the status of the implementation of their rights? And finally: Can a humane prison system, in which prisoners’ rights are consistently respected, actually have more positive than negative effects—or do the limits of rehabilitation and crime prevention already lie within the institution of prison itself?

The “Prison 2026” Action Days will take place nationwide from November 1 to 14, 2026, and will feature events organized by various initiatives and associations. The goal of the Action Days is to bring the prison system and its consequences more into the public spotlight.

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