The Ombudsman announced that it has investigated information circulating on social media regarding inmates in the Correction and Rehabilitation Centre in Jao going on a hunger strike since last Monday, August 7.

It has also been notified by the management of the centre regarding the same subject and has been contacted by families of inmates seeking assistance and reassurance in light of the circulating news, the Ombudsman said in a statement.

The Ombudsman followed standard procedure to ensure that inmates are receiving their rights in terms of healthcare, visits and calls from their families, and treatment.

On Thursday, August 10, a team from the Ombudsman went to the centre. It collected information by meeting officials; going to different sections of the centre; watching CCTV recordings; learning about administrative and medical procedures taken to deal with inmates on hunger strike and meeting a random sample of those inmates and taking their testimonials.

Following the investigation, the team found that the centre’s officials have advised the inmates to end their hunger strike to ensure their health and safety and spoke to them about their demands and whether they were legally viable

Arrangements were made to provide healthcare to them in case of any emergency, the statement said.

The arrangements included the presence of doctors and nurses in clinics located in all buildings that are equipped to assist and closely follow up on the health conditions of the inmates on hunger strike, as per medical protocol in those cases.

All arrangements are documented by installed and mobile security cameras and are also documented in detail in the individual medical records of the inmates.

Inmates who have been interviewed individually and privately by the Ombudsman team said they have gone on hunger strike to voice a number of demands. Those included relocating some of the inmates to other buildings; increasing the duration of visits and removal of the glass barrier; increasing the numbers they are allowed to make telephone calls to and reducing the prices of calls; increasing the duration of unfiltered sunlight; opening all cells at all times and other demands regarding healthcare and practice of group religious rituals.

None of the inmates mentioned that they have been mistreated or have been denied any of their legal rights.

The Ombudsman studied the demands of the inmates and found that most of them do not comply with Law 18 of 2014 on Correction and Rehabilitation and its executive regulations issued in edict 131 of 2015.

Regarding the demand to relocated certain inmates, the Ombudsman statement said the classification of inmates was governed by article 16 of the executive regulations.

The Ombudsman had investigated this matter in the past and found that the inmates have committed serious violations. The Public Prosecution had been informed of the issue and the centre’s management took necessary procedures to reclassify the inmates and not enforce any type of isolation on them.

As for receiving unfiltered sunlight and going out open spaces in the centre, the management allows all inmates get to equally remain in open spaces for two hours daily in a manner that ensures their safety and security, as per the executive regulations.

The demands regarding freedom of religious practice; including mass prayers and rituals; have been met, as demonstrated during the recent commemoration of Ashura which has been documented by the Ombudsman and the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR), the statement said.

Regarding the adjustment of the visitation system and adding more categories than second degree relatives, the statement said that no violations by the centres have been found.

The statement explained that Government Hospitals was responsible for providing healthcare to inmates. The role of the centre’s management is limited to coordination and transportation arrangements.

Responding to demands regarding education, the Ombudsman said all inmates had the right to continue their education until secondary level in coordination with the Education Ministry. Inmates can pursue higher education by presenting a request to the centre’s management. They should cover the expenses of their tuition fees.

Regarding the prices of telephone calls, the statement said that they were determined by telecom service providers.

The Ombudsman said it will continue to closely follow up the inmates on hunger strike, in liaison with the centre’s management.

The statement said the Ombudsman has contacted the families of inmates to update them on their health conditions.

It urged the inmates to end their hunger strike, affirming that’s its doors will remain open for their demands and that it will take all necessary steps within its mandate to address them

Source: Bahrain News Agency