CHAPTER 1 GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE SITUATION IN THE EU IN 2013 19
In 2013 left-wing terrorism verdicts received the highest average prison sentence (18 years), followed by separatist terrorism verdicts (13 years). These average prison sentences were considerably higher than the averages reported in 2012 (8 and 9 years respectively). The average prison sentence given for religiously inspired terrorist offences in 2013 decreased to 4 years, compared to 6 years in 2012.
In some cases, in addition to imprisonment, convicted individuals had their civil rights restricted, were banned from entering the national territory upon completion of their prison term or ordered to do community service. Occasionally, national courts imposed a pecuniary penalty as the only penalty or in combination with a prison term. The two legal entities convicted in Denmark, for example, were sentenced to pay a fine, while the legal entity found guilty of terrorism in France was dissolved. In other cases, prison sentences were pronounced as an alternative to pecuniary penalties. In Germany, youth sentences were handed down to two defendants found guilty of terrorist offences. In one case in the UK, the court issued a hospital order, and in the Netherlands one individual was placed in a psychiatric clinic for a period of one year.