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Human rights of the prisoners should be respected and protected by the governments.
By TCN News,
Hyderabad: Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee (CLMC) has condemned the brutal attacks on prisoners in India and Pakistan jails. In a statement CLMC General Secretary, Lateef Mohammed Khan said, “It is a matter of deep concern that both the countries are not respecting the prisoners’ rights and not providing security to them and both the countries committed grave violation of human rights of prisoners in their respective jails.”
Quoting the Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” – CLMC added that it is “clear violation” of the UDHR.
It is a matter of deep concern that both the countries have not taken any steps towards prison reforms and still following the same colonial methods where the jail inmates are treated as animals, CLMC added. The same condition is prevailing in Indian and Pakistani prisons.
Pakistan prisons are known for their harsh conditions, poor food and hygiene and ill treatment of prisoners. Prisons are not salubrious places. Jails are overcrowded and abuse is common.
Indian prisons are seriously overcrowded, prisoners are given better or worse treatment according to the nature of their crime and class status, sanitary conditions are poor and punishments are misbehavior while incarcerated have been known to be particularly onerous. India retains a system set up during the colonial period that mandates different treatment for different categories of prisoners.
The recent attacks and counter attacks in Indian and Pakistani jails raise serious questions on safety and security of prisoners and their life is under threat. It is high time for both the governments to take immediate measures to protect their lives.
The statement further added, “Civil Liberties Monitoring Committee strongly condemns the brutal attack on Sarabjit Singh in Pakistani Jail due to which he lost his life and this committee also condemns attack on Sanaullah Khan in Indian jail where his condition is stated to be critical. This committee thinks that because of the political conditions of both the countries, the jail inmates have become the prey of political gains to get political benefits in elections. The standard of governance of any country reflects the conditions of prisons and prisoners protection in that particular country. Alas! We do not find this standard in both the countries.”
Therefore, CLMC demanded that both the governments not play with the human lives for the sake of their political gains and respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and bring immediate reforms in the prisons. This committee also demands both the governments to provide the security to the prisoners and take a step forward to send them back to their respective countries.
It added that this committee demands both the Indian and Pakistani government to abolish death penalty.
