Professor Robert Esser passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on 19 November 2025 (see obituary). Here we document examples of his research work at the University of Passau. He said of his research interests:
"A more integrated Europe – also in criminal law – can only emerge on the basis of a consensus-driven community of values. However, the constitution of a European space of freedom, security and law is proving difficult because major discrepancies persist between the criminal law systems of the European nation-states which feed through into the specific configuration and conduct of criminal proceedings.
As early as in 1998, as a young career researcher, my doctoral thesis at Trier University revolved around the question of whether minimum standards of criminal law are emerging on the basis of the European Human Rights Convention (EHRC) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) by which both national criminal law systems and European institutions of criminal prosecution (including the European Public Prosecutor's Office, EPPO) must abide. This includes crime prevention and the investigation of crimes, but also the rights of defendants in criminal proceedings and protective action as well as participatory rights for putative victims of criminal activity.
To address these questions of criminal law that potentially impact us all, I set up "Human Rights in Criminal Proceedings (HCRP)" at the University of Passau in 2010 as a research and advanced training centre and expert helpdesk for all issues relating to the international protection of human rights in criminal proceedings.
Ever since – in addition to EU criminal law and international criminal law – I have been busy systematising the adjudication of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg and the decision-making practice of the UN human rights committees (including HRC, CAT) in the criminal law context. The functions of HRCP include devising interdisciplinary guest lectures, expert conferences, excursions, workshops, seminars and continuing education events on human rights protection for judges, state prosecutors, lawyers, criminal defence lawyers and students."
