PDF Format: Lesson Series 31: Prison conditions and complaint mechanisms

The Issue

Prisoners should have the same human rights as everyone else, with certain limitations due to liberty restrictions. Existing human rights documents provide for this. However, in practice this is not the case. The conditions in many prisons around Asia are such that prisoners are denied many basic human rights, such as the right to adequate food, sanitation, health care. Along with these basic necessities, prisoners also have to suffer verbal and physical abuse at times. With all these violations, prisoners have few channels through which they can obtain redress.

The Lessons

The lessons are based on a thesis by AHRC researcher Audrey Wolffs.