©ICRC
THE NEED FOR A RAPID RESPONSE TO COVID-19 IN PRISONS
Confirmed COVID-19 cases among prisoners and/or prison officers have been reported in many
countries, including Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Iran (Islamic
Republic of ), the Netherlands, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of Moldova, Spain,
Switzerland, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,
and the United States of America. This number, however, is almost certain to increase significantly in the future. There is no time to lose. Tension is already high in prisons around the world
due to the introduction of additional restrictions, such as the suspension of prison visits and
furloughs, or to poor conditions and health services. Brazil, Colombia, India, Jordan, Lebanon,
Italy, Nigeria, Romania, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Kingdom and Venezuela (Bolivarian
Republic of ) have seen violent prison protests erupt as a result, leaving prisoners and prison staff
dead or injured, or resulting in prisoner escapes.
Robust and human rights-compliant infection prevention and control measures
“The provision of health care for prisoners is a State responsibility. Prisoners should
enjoy the same standards of health care that are available in the community, and
should have access to necessary health-care services free of charge, without
discrimination on the grounds of their legal status.”
United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)
Prisons and other detention settings should be an integral part of national health and emergency
planning to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. Preparedness, prevention and response measures in custodial settings should be designed and implemented in line with dedicated guidance
developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). These measures should encompass specific
risk assessments and contingency plans; enhanced hygiene and infection control measures; the
uninterrupted availability of relevant supplies, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE);
close linkages with local and national public health authorities; as well as support and capacitybuilding for prison staff and health-care professionals. Responses to COVID-19 should further
be integrated into overall prison health strategies to ensure that continued attention is paid to
broader healthcare needs within the prison population, including other prevalent diseases.
Ensuring the health and well-being of prisoners, prison officers, other prison personnel and
visitors must be at the heart of infection prevention and control measures, while respecting
the fundamental safeguards outlined in the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules). Importantly, these include the requirements to limit the confinement of prisoners for 22 hours or more a day without meaningful
human contact to an exceptional measure, and never beyond a maximum of 15 consecutive days
(prolonged solitary confinement); to ensure continued access of external inspection bodies and
legal advisers to prisoners; to have clinical decisions taken only by health-care professionals; and
to abstain from suspending family contacts altogether. Under no circumstances whatsoever must
COVID-19 measures in prisons amount to inhumane or degrading treatment.
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