NHRC issues advisory to Centre, States to curb prison suicides
The Hindu
Advisory issued to the Centre, States to take immediate measures to check prison suicides
Concerned with the suicides in prisons, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday, June 23, 2023, issued an Advisory to the Centre, States and UTs to take immediate measures to check the same.
Also read: Inmate kills himself in Tihar jail hours after being convicted
In an advisory issued by Justice Arun Mishra the NHRC asked the Centre, States and UTs, to mitigate suicide attempts by prisoners in judicial custody. The Commission observed that most of the unnatural deaths of prisoners occur due to suicide. Therefore, besides focusing on their mental well-being, to stop suicides, the Commission has emphasised that the barracks as well as the toilets, where most suicides take place, should be kept free of objects, which can be used for hanging, e.g., iron iods/irills, fans, hooks or similar objects. Encouraging visits by the family members of the prisoner and their telephonic communications with them is another important recommendation.
The Commission, in a letter through its Secretary General, Devendra Kumar Singh, to all the Chief Secretaries of States and Administrators of Union Territories with a copy to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bureau of Police Research and Development, and all Director General Prisons, has asked for the implementation of its recommendations in the Advisory and sought Action Taken Report within three months.
The Advisory has focused on eleven key areas for action by the Centre, States, and UT Administrations. These include: Filing up the vacancies and augmenting the staff strength, Training Prison staff and prisoners, screening their mental health at the admission stage, Supervision and monitoring at-risk prisoners, creating a collaborative framework for mitigation, issue of addiction among prisoners, Compliance with the relevant statutory provision, prison housekeeping, strengthening visitor system and improving prison architecture & its environment.
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