The Irish Penal Reform Trust in conjunction with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties has published a booklet entitled Know Your Rights – Your Rights as a Prisoner. The booklet gives an easily accessible account of the rights of individuals when in prison. It covers topics such as physical conditions, voting, health care and preparing for release. It also lays out the procedures for making a complaint and information on access to courts.
The IPRT is also hosting a seminar tonight, Wednesday 30 May, entitled Using the European Convention on Human Rights in prison law cases: Lessons from Scotland. Tony Kelly, a leading Scottish human rights and prison law solicitor will speak on the topic. The seminar will take place from 6-7.30 in Room 5034 (fifth floor) at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Aungier Street, Dublin 2. The event will be followed by a reception. To register for the event, contact Mary Gaffney at 01-8741400 or email info@irpt.ie.
In other news, the Irish Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence Alan Shatter has published the Annual Report of the Inspector of Prisons. This report deals with the performance of the Inspector’s statutory function throughout 2011. Minister Shatter welcomed the report, saying “I would like to thanks the Inspector for his efforts during 2011 in ensuring that obligations to prisoners are understood, that operating procedures are standardised and for his advice detailing best practice”. The 20 page report considers ‘major issues dealt with in 2011’, including physical health care in prisons, prisoner complaints and contact with international bodies and others.
Click here for a copy of the report.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has reported that conditions in Irish prisons continue to fall below standard. The annual report on the State of the World’s Human Rights, notes that both the UN Committee against Torture and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture have raised concerns about the prison conditions in Ireland, specifically in relation to overcrowding, lack of in-cell sanitation, health care, and violence between prisoners in some prisons. The report also states that the UN Committee against Torture has noted the lack of independent and effective investigations into allegations of ill-treatment by prison staff.
Click here to read the report.