Statement by India under Annual Panel Discussion on Technical Cooperation and Capacity-Building - Upholding the Human Rights of Prisoners, including Women Prisoners and Offenders: Enhancing technical cooperation and capacity-building in the implementation of the Nelson Mandela Rules and the Bangkok Rules at 44th Session of the Human Rights Council (30 June – 21 July 2020), delivered by Mr. Vimarsh Aryan, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of India. [Geneva, 15 July 2020]

Mr. Vice-President,

India appreciates the convening of this panel discussion and thanks the panellists for their insightful presentations on a very pertinent theme.

2. Prison administration is an important element of the criminal justice system in India and we are driven by the words of Mahatma Gandhi who once said that, “crime is the outcome of a diseased mind and jail must have an environment of hospital for treatment and care”. We agree that imprisonment deprives the offender of his liberty and therefore the prison system should not be allowed to aggravate the suffering already inherent in the process of incarceration.

3. In order to ensure that conditions of incarceration in prisons across India are consistent with protecting the human rights and dignity of prisoners regarding food, clothing, sanitation and health, the Government of India issued a new Model Prison Manual 2016, which inter-alia includes gender-specific health measures for women, gender sensitization of the prison staff, provisions for children of women prisoners, and the like. The Manual also provides for frequent inspection of prisons.

Mr. Vice-President,

4. In 2018, the Indian Ministry of Women and Child Development conducted a detailed study about the condition of women prisoners. Consequently, the Ministry made very specific recommendations for improvement of the condition of women prisoners, which inter-alia, are in line with Nelson Mandela Rules and the Bangkok Rules.

5. Recently, our authorities have also taken positive steps to decongest prisons in order to tackle the problem of COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Vice-President,

6. Lastly, we would like to thank the OHCHR for presenting the thematic report on this very crucial subject under agenda item 10 and assure them of our continued support.

Thank you, Mr. Vice-President,