RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE PENITENTIARY SYSTEM: AN IMPORTANT INDICATOR OF HUMAN DIMENSION POLICY

On July 19, a building collapsed in the colony GM-172/6, as a result of which 3 people were killed and 8 people were injured, of which 1 is in a serious condition. The head of the department of the National Center for Human Rights told about this in detail in an interview with journalists of the republican TV channel “Atameken Business”.

The Office of the Ombudsman reacted from the first day, the Ministry of Internal Affairs created a special commission, which went to the scene of the incident on the same day. The participants of the NPM did not remain indifferent observers. It was decided to monitor the observance of human rights at the scene of the incident.

The NPM participants who were at the scene of the incident noted the openness to public monitoring of the leadership of the Committee of the Penitentiary System and the management of the institution, as well as other state bodies and organizations that took part in the rescue operation. Citizens serving sentences in this institution took a direct part in the analysis of the rubble in order to free the living and the bodies of the dead from the rubble.

This event confirms the need for the Government to return to consideration of the issue of the state of penitentiary institutions.

This was repeatedly reported by the NPM participants in their reports. Many of them are not subject to major repairs or reconstruction. A large number of institutions were built in the 30-70 years of the last century (3 institutions in the 30s, 4-in the 40s, 16 institutions in the 50s).

The Government needs to update the program of repair and construction of institutions that meet the minimum standards for the detention of convicts, sanitary and hygienic and construction standards. The efforts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs alone are not enough to solve this issue. The Government has identified another, no less important issue as a priority for solving by the end of 2021. In particular, the Commissioner for Human Rights and non-governmental organizations have for several years raised the issue of revising the policy on ensuring access to civil medical services for convicted and remand prisoners and the activities of the medical service, regardless of the administration of the penitentiary system.

For more information, see the interview with the Head of the Department of the National Center for Human Rights at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDWHkPI6pbA&feature=youtu.behttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq6r24rh4NI

National Center for Human Rights