Women’s prison orders activist body search probe
A women’s prison in Bangkok has ordered a probe into the alleged maltreatment of a female student activist and promised to introduce bio-body scan equipment at women’s prisons within three months, a senior official said yesterday.
Siriporn Chutikulang, director of the Central Women’s Correctional Institution, offered an apology to Kornkanok Khumta, a political science student at Thammasat University and activist looking into the Rajabhakti Park scandal, at a seminar by the National Human Rights Commission’s subcommittee on women.
Ms Siriporn said an investigation into the humiliating body search inside the female prison conducted on Ms Kornkanok would be completed in 10 days and presented to the Corrections Department for further action.
At the seminar titled “Into the 6th Year of Bangkok Rules: Abuse of Women on the First Walk into Prison”, Ms Kornkanok recalled her six-hour ordeal at the prison on April 25 when she had to take off her clothes in front of other detainees and officials inside the reception zone.
“I was ordered to wear a phatung (sarong) without panties and a bra. I had to sit on the floor receiving orders from wardens who told me to call them ‘Mother’,” said the student whose exposé on Facebook prompted a public outcry.
“You are pregnant,” was a “joke” inmates and wardens shouted at her after a prison official received a bottle of urine she was ordered to provide. She was later sent to a small room for a vaginal check without being given a reason.
Labour activist Jittra Kotchadet, who has been at the same prison twice before, said she went through similar ordeals. She said she was ordered not to wear a bra or underpants while her weight, height and locker number were written on her arm.
“Are we animals waiting for slaughter or trade? Why did they have to poke and pierce and pat our bodies?” Ms Jittra said.
Correction officials at the seminar did not dispute the claims but said their colleagues were only “carrying out their duties” as a shortage of staff on that day prompted an “earlier than usual delivery” of Ms Kornkanok to the prison.
Ms Siriporn said agencies concerned had already been reminded of the Bangkok Rules — the UN Rules for the Treatment of Female Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders.
Angkhana Neelapaijit, a human rights commissioner, said the NHRC subcommittee on women would soon submit its recommendations to the government urging the Justice Ministry to strictly abide by the Bangkok Rules and the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Mandela Rules), which were introduced last year.
The two international guidelines suggest details of admission and search procedures, healthcare and measures for children accompanying mothers.
“We have to respect human dignity, privacy and body searches should only be done when necessary. Above all, detaining and punishing people must not proceed with revenge in mind,” said Ms Angkhana.
Chatchai Sutthiklom, another human rights commissioner and former head of the Corrections Department, said a new corrections bill would soon be endorsed by the National Legislative Assembly.
However, he said the new, more human rights-friendly bill still did not address inadequate staffing.