Human rights

The right of everyone, who is charged with a criminal offence, to a free legal assistance, if he or she has not sufficient means to pay and when the interests of justice requires so

Source	Section	Definition
Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union	Title VI., Article 47	Legal aid shall be made available to those who lack sufficient resources in so far as such aid is necessary to ensure effective access to justice.
Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms	Article 6, paragraph 3/c	3. Everyone charged with a criminal offence has the following minimum rights: c) to defend himself in person or through legal assistance of his own choosing or, if he has not sufficient means to pay for legal assistance, to be given it free when the interests of justice so require;