‘Change name of prisons to reform, rehabilitation centers’
Assembly panel recommends reforms
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 28: The Human Rights Committee of the National Assembly has recommended that the name of the prisons should be changed to ‘reform and rehabilitation centers’, reports Al-Jarida daily.
The committee also said a prison year should be counted as nine months instead of the 12. For example, if a person is sentenced to a year in prison, he/she should be released after nine months.
The committee has also suggested that a mechanism should be put in place to reduce the jail terms of prisoners, facilitate the procedures of approval if conditions are met and identifying the nature of the crime.
The committee also recommended the provisional release of prisoners in the event of a death in a family, a fatal disease or during religious or national events after determining the conditions and setting mechanisms in this respect.
The committee also calls for respect for the rights of prisoners and putting an end to violations committed by prison staff which have been reported from time to time.
The committee headed by MP Adel Al-Damkhi has prepared the first report. The task was assigned to the committee by the National Assembly to find out ways to apply international conventions, laws and
procedures related to prison conditions in the country.
The committee also recommended that the prison administration should be within the authority of the Ministry of Justice while the role of the Ministry of Interior shall be to guard the prisons since the Ministry of Justice is the most competent authority to manage the judicial files of prisoners and to take a qualitative leap in the treatment of prisoners and protect their rights and look
after their integration into society.
This is in addition to intensifying the penalty for those who smuggle forbidden items into the prison, especially drugs; and making the Ministry of Health solely responsible for providing healthcare for the prisoners; preparing periodic reports on the condition of prisons and sending copies of these reports to the legislative and executive authorities.
The committee has also recommended
that civil organizations concerned with human rights should be allowed to make periodic visits to prisons and places of detention; amend the bylaws of prisons and adopt the UN Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Annex 7), known as the Nelson Mandela Rules, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly resolution on Dec 17, 2015.
The committee also is in favor or organizing conjugal visits.