How did the Law of 22 Prairial make Revolutionary Tribunal trials more severe?

The Law of 22 Prairial, promulgated on June 10, 1794, significantly intensified the severity of the Revolutionary Tribunal by stripping away fundamental legal protections for the accused.12

The law made trials more severe through the following measures:

• Removal of Legal Defense: Prisoners were forbidden from employing counsel to assist in their defense.12
• Suppression of Evidence: The hearing of witnesses was suppressed, effectively removing the possibility of a traditional evidentiary trial.1
• Suspension of Public Trial: The law suspended the right to a public trial, further isolating the accused from due process.23
• Limited Sentencing: Juries were restricted to only two possible verdicts: acquittal or death, with death becoming the sole penalty for those convicted.123

These changes transformed the tribunal into a tool of the "Great Terror," leading to a dramatic surge in executions. In the 49 days following the law's passage, 1,376 people were condemned, a rate of execution far higher than in the preceding 13 months.13