Prisoners around the world have been neglected because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report from Amnesty International, as prisons have faced systematic challenges to prevent their virus, with control measures leading to real human rights violations. The group wants millions of people mourning in dense cells to be included in a national vaccine rollout.
Forgetting behind bars: COVID-19 and Prisons shows that, with more than 11 million people imprisoned worldwide, prisons in many countries are at risk of becoming hotbeds for the disease. Many prisoners are struggling with access to soap, proper hygiene, or personal protective equipment, while physical distance is difficult to achieve and there is very little health care available.
“As COVID-19 continues to rip through prisons around the world, measures introduced by governments to prevent the spread of the disease have led to human rights violations, including including the use of excessive solitary confinement to aid social pace and inappropriate measures to reduce adverse effects. loneliness, ”he said Netsanet Belay, Director of Research and Advocacy for Amnesty International.
The full scale of COVID-19 infections and associated deaths in prisons is difficult to assess because governments have failed to make reliable, up-to-date information publicly available. However, the available data reveal worrying patterns of COVID-19 infections in prisons worldwide. And as vaccine distribution strategies and plans evolve, many governments remain silent about their plans to vaccinate prisoners who are particularly at risk.
Extremely dangerous and uncovered
Too many people are widely recognized as one of the worst problems in prisons today. Around 102 countries have reported prison occupancy rates of over 110%, with a significant proportion of prisoners being charged, or convicted of non-violent crimes.
Although steps have been taken to release eligible prisoners, Amnesty International ‘s research reveals that standard release rates are not sufficient to address the high risk posed by the virus.
“Many countries with dangerously high levels of overcrowding, such as Bulgaria, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nepal, have failed to address concerns about the outbreak of COVID-19. In other countries, such as Iran and Turkey, hundreds of illegally detained prisoners, including human rights defenders, have been banned from COVID-19-related releases. ” said Netsanet Belay.
Health emergency
COVID-19 has also forgotten the years of underinvestment in health services in prisons. Prison authorities have been able or willing to address the growing need for protective health measures and medical services for prisoners. Early in a pandemic, Amnesty International found that prisoners in many countries were unable to get a COVID-19 test due to severe shortages, while some detainees in Iran and Turkey were reluctantly rejected. -regulatory for medical treatment.
Countries including Cambodia, France, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Togo and the U.S. could not put in place appropriate protective and security measures in prisons to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“No matter who you are, or where you are, people deserve access to exotic faces, plenty of soap, cleaning products and clean water,” said Netsanet Belay. “In prisons, in particular, personal protective equipment must be provided free of charge and governments must increase access to COVID-19 tests and treatments to prevent potential incidents. ”
Control measures that cause misuse
In many countries, prison authorities have taken precautionary measures including overcrowding and harassment and quarantine measures to address the COVID-19 crisis, leading to serious human rights violations. In some places such as Argentina and the UK, arrests have been placed on their own for up to 23 hours a day, often for weeks or months.
“Isolation and quarantine and quarantine measures have been used to spread the spread of COVID-19 in some prisons around the world. In some cases, these could be harsh, inhuman or degrading treatment. Human measures to protect prisoners must be put in place now, ”said Netsanet Belay.
Some COVID-19-related lockout measures in prisons also affected family visits, increasing the risks to the mental and physical well-being of inmates. In some cases, these provoked widespread protests and riots in prisons, to which authorities often responded with excessive force.
“While some prison authorities have maintained visits by changing circumstances, others have begun to ban visitors, effectively removing detainees from their lifeline to the emergency. the outside world and weaken their emotional and physical well-being, ”said Netsanet Belay.
Prioritizing the vaccination of detainees
At least 71 countries have now implemented a vaccination policy for at least one clinically vulnerable group. W.hile some of these countries have included prison and staff numbers among the priority groups to receive vaccines, an Amnesty International study found many others, including higher income countries, they are either silent or still unclear about their plans.
“Prisons are some of the most dangerous situations for the outbreak of COVID-19 and we can no longer neglect the right to health of people in prisons. The lack of clarity about vaccine plans, policies and the management of prison numbers is a major, global concern, ”said Netsanet Belay. “As vaccine distribution strategies evolve, failure to prioritize the health of detainees will have a significant impact on prisoners, their families and the public health care system. ”
Amnesty International is urging states not to discriminate against detainees when developing immunization policies and plans. In addition, it urges states to make every effort to prioritize prisoners in their national immunization plans, especially as their restrictive conditions do not allow them physical speed, and ensuring those at high risk of COVID-19 (such as older prisoners and those with chronic health conditions) prioritized for vaccination equal to comparable groups in the general population.