Football fans arrested abroad 'should be read their rights in one of 22 languages' Football fans and other tourists arrested outside their home country would have to be given their legal rights in their mother tongue under proposed new European rules.

Police across the European Union would be required to provide suspects with a letter in one of 22 languages explaining their basic rights during criminal proceedings, according to new European Commission plans.

"Most of you have seen American police series. You probably recall that the police officer reads the rights to the suspect," said Viviane Reding, 

Justice Commissioner.

"Now we are going to have not a movie, but the reality in Europe," she said.

She gave the example of a football fan who was arrested after a match in another EU state but was not informed of the charges against him, had to share an interpreter with other suspects, and was condemned.

"The situation could have been avoided had he received a letter of rights directly after he was arrested," she said.

Telegraph

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