Sanitary conditions and access to healthcare¶

3 April. According to family members, one of the prisoners who tested positive for the virus was kept in a cell for 24 hours a day with four other prisoners. Another prisoner was being denied adequate food, soap and personal protective equipment.

25 March. Authorities reported that all people deprived of liberty who signed up for vaccination have been vaccinated.

8 March. The National Institution for Human Rights conducted a surprise visit to Jaw prison. It reported that a vaccination campaign was underway. Its chairwoman said: “The COVID-19 vaccination process is being conducted at all prison facilities, including the women’s prison in Isa town […]”. She added that “a majority of those who were vaccinated were Bahrainis, but that expatriate inmates were also increasingly signing up”. Prisoners are allowed the vaccine of their choice.

Sentence adjustments¶

9 September. Officials decided to use the alternative sentencing scheme for “all adults sentenced to imprisonment”. These alternative sentences include “community service, home detention, exclusion orders, non-contact orders, electronic tagging, rehabilitation programmes or compensation.”

10 April. Authorities released 166 prisoners because of the spread of COVID-19. According to activists, the government had promised to release 199.

Acts of protest¶

17 April Some prisoners protested the bad detention conditions. They occupied the hallways and conducted a “sit-in”. According to witnesses, the police assaulted at least 35 people inside the prison.

2 April. Dozens of prisoners’ relatives demonstrated in the capital’s suburb to demand the release of their loved ones.

Appeals and recommendations¶

14 June. Amnesty International called on the authorities to investigate the conditions that led to the death of a prisoner on 9 June. The death was reportedly linked to COVID-19. The organisation stressed the importance of taking preventive measures and providing vaccines to incarcerated people to protect them. Family members told Amnesty that the administration is still not providing masks or gel, despite the first wave in March and April 2021. The prisons are reportedly overcrowded, making physical distancing impossible. The wife of the deceased advised that he shared a 10-bed cell with 15 other people.

9 April. In response to insufficient measures, Amnesty International, declared that “the Bahraini government and prison authorities have a clear duty to guarantee the right to health of those in detention and protect them from the risk of infection”. The organisation called on them “to ensure all prisoners are provided with face masks and adequate hygiene supplies, that they can keep physical distance and are tested regularly”.

Identified cases¶

9 June. Salam for Democracy and Human Rights reported that a prisoner had died after contracting the virus on 27 May. This individual reportedly arrived at the infirmary suffering from a “severe lack of oxygen”. He was sent back to his cell but then transferred to a hospital, dying in intensive care five days later. He had been vaccinated.

26 April. Some sources reported that the rate of infection had increased considerably. According to new estimates, 100 prisoners have tested positive for the virus.

31 March. Some meetings were held during the week between Amnesty International and prisoners’ relatives, who gave the names of more than 70 incarcerated people who were infected.

25 March. Authorities reported three new positive cases among prisoners. They affirmed that patients and their contacts were isolated and the premises disinfected. Members of the opposition said that at least six people tested positive at Jaw prison. According to the NGO, Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), there were dozens of new infections.

Sanitary conditions and access to healthcare¶

14 January. Inmates who wished to obtain a free COVID-19 vaccination could do so in vaccination clinics set up in the prison facilities. The Ministry of the Interior, which is responsible for this initiative, reported that 179 inmates were vaccinated on the first day of the campaign.

Sanitary conditions and access to healthcare¶

30 June. The Justice Ministry has announced that the vaccine has been administered to all prisoners and prison staff in the country. The vaccination campaign began in March. The Ministry has confirmed that visits, which had been suspended due to the pandemic, would resume. The authorities stated that no new cases were recorded since the strict application of the health protocol.

Contact with the outside world¶

20 September. Officials at Erbil prison announced the oncoming resumption of visits.

Sanitary conditions and access to healthcare¶

14 July. Two people tested positive at Evin prison. Their loved ones said they were not getting the proper care. One person whose mother is incarcerated said that “Around 25 women are held there in a very confined space. Keeping a distance in the kitchen, showers and toilets is practically impossible”. The husband of one of the prisoners said that “testing is not done routinely in the prison, but only when an inmate shows severe symptoms”.

21 April. Fears of a pandemic outbreak have been exacerbated in Karaj prison because of the lack of medical care, proper facilities for prisoners suffering from COVID-19, poor sanitary conditions, and overcrowding. The facility’s health centre has no medications, equipment, or oxygen.

14 April. There is increasing concern about the health of prisoners. The lack of medical care and proper facilities for prisoners suffering from COVID, unsanitary conditions, and overcrowding are worrying for prisoners and their families.
There have been official announcements about release measures. Most political prisoners, dual nationals and prisoners of conscience, will be excluded. The Centre for Human Rights in Iran declared that “officials must act quickly to deploy all legal resources to reduce the number of incarcerated individuals as much as possible”.

Acts of protest¶

15 September. Detainee protests regarding health concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic were quelled. Amnesty International issued a press release stating that 15 prisoners were reported to have died following the lethal use of firearms and tear gas by prison officers.

Appeals and recommendations¶

3 August. Human Rights Watch called on the authorities to “unconditionally release all people who remain detained for peaceful dissent, and to temporarily release all eligible prisoners to minimize the spread of COVID-19 “.

12 April. A group of prisoners at Evin facilities sounded an alarm by declaring: “Before more tragedy hits the prisons, the judicial authorities must take steps to overcome dangerous conditions in Iran’s prisons ”.

Identified cases¶

1 August. Two women contracted the virus at Evin prison. One of them was transferred to the hospital, while the other quarantined in the facility without a medical follow-up.

22 July. A sexagenarian contracted the virus in Evin prison. Her daughter mentioned that her health was “very bad”. The prisoner had “a fever, chills and severe pain in the limbs”. She also specified that “the authorities did not apply the required hygiene measures”.

5 May. One prisoner died at 5 a.m. in the Behbahan prison after being left unattended with no medical care. His cellmates assisted him until his death. More than 20 prisoners became infected in this facility. One source stated that “the number of infected prisoners is likely much, much higher than we currently know because of the lack of testing and surveillance.”

8 April. At least 35 incarcerated people were transferred to hospital from Karaj prison. The prison facility does not have the means to provide the necessary care. Those who go to the infirmary are sent back to their cell without being treated or quarantined. No other measures have been taken despite requests. Patients are only treated if they have a very high temperature.

Sanitary conditions and access to healthcare¶

25 June. A vaccination campaign was organised in collaboration with the university hospitals alliance, the Ministry of the Interior and the parliamentary Justice and Health committees. This campaign included a wide cross-section of the population, including all the prisoners and prison staff. The President of the American University of Beirut advised that doses had been secured for all prisons located in the different Lebanese territories, thanks to the support of the Lebanese Red Cross.

5 July. Prisoners at Roumieh prison have issued a press release condemning the state’s lack of response to the situation. “Roumieh is under a death sentence, the Delta variant is sweeping the prison buildings […] Even the simplest medicines are no longer available, and what makes matters worse is the state’s inability to transfer sick and injured detainees to hospitals”. The authorities (national police) have denied the allegations about the Delta variant.

26 April. A vaccination campaign was started at Roumieh prison. The Minister of the Interior indicated it was being carried out “according to plan”.

17 April. The al-Walid ben Talal Foundation provided funding for the vaccination campaign. It was targeted at all people deprived of liberty, medical personnel who have contact with them and prison officers. Authorities said prisoners were to have priority over officers.

Identified cases¶

9 August. The prison authorities considered that the health situation was under control. Roumieh prison recorded six positive cases.

12 May. A press release issued by the prison administration, as part of the “follow-up of positive cases to date”, revealed that 1,074 out of 1,082 positive cases recovered in Roumieh Central Prison, the Palace of Justice, the juvenile prison and the Baabda Women’s Prison. Thirty-two positive cases were recorded in Jib Jenin prison, 26 in Zahlé and four in police premises.

Sanitary conditions and access to healthcare¶

3 October Hygiene and pandemic measures were lacking in most of the prisons, according to the CISST NGO. The report covered 146 prisons and included the following complaints: prisoners ate their meals in common, poorly ventilated areas, gathering rooms were often overcrowded and prisoners sometimes received dirty bed sheets. Some of the medical appointments were cancelled by officials in spite of COVID symptoms. Most of the prisons supplied sanitizers at no charge, others charged for them creating a danger for those who could not afford them. Older prisoners had not been fully vaccinated.

29 September One person said that a prisoner who tested positive for COVID-19 was placed in the same cell as his 60-year old father who had renal insufficiency.

10 August. Prison conditions have deteriorated. The prison dentists do not perform operations that are considered “complex”, and prisoners are losing their teeth. Interns complain about the poor hygiene in dental offices. “The seat is stained with blood, the spit sink is bloody, they don’t provide paper towels”, they declared.

5 July. A study carried out by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) between February and March 2021 sheds light on prison conditions in five of the country’s prisons during the pandemic. Twenty-five prisoners answered 62 questions during private interviews: over half of the prisoners interviewed said that they did not have sufficient access to hygiene products; at least two prisoners that showed symptoms were left untreated; 44% said that they had not been informed about the pandemic, and 56% said that they lacked cleaning and hygiene supplies. Twelve people requested COVID-19 tests, but only seven of these requests were fulfilled. Sometimes, quarantine periods were extended to up to 48 hours in the case of arrest or hospitalisation.

1st June. Bold Medya reported that two women’s wards were quarantined in Denizli prison. Some men were also reportedly quarantined in the same prison. Families of prisoners denounced the overcrowding of the facilities and the lack of information on the condition of their relatives.

18 May. A complaint was made against Bakirkoy prison after the entire B4 ward became infected. An attorney who visited the prison stated that no action had been taken in the face of clear symptoms.

11 May. A letter written by a prisoner revealed that people who tested positive were refused medication for eight days and were not given any medical attention. According to the prisoner, staff said: “if anyone of you is in critical condition, we can take him to hospital in order to avoid responsibility.”

3 May. Bold Medya reported 300 positive cases at Kocaeli prison. Those “in critical condition” were reportedly sent to hospital. No information was given to families by prison or hospital authorities.

28 April. Bold Medya reported 30 new positive cases at the Sakarya Ferizli prison. Two of the patients were chronically ill. One, age 51, was suffering from heart disease and was reportedly transferred to hospital without his family being aware. The authorities declared themselves unable to provide information until the end of the quarantine. The prisoner’s lawyer called for his immediate release.

19 April. The Justice Ministry acknowledged the overcrowding problem in some prisons in certain provinces “where unpredictably large numbers are being detained”. The Ministry’s statement is in response to some prisoners’ claims, and a question posed to government. Some people incarcerated at Bandirma prison reported that one of the cells meant for eight prisoners is actually holding 25.

16 March. The suspension of medical treatment during the pandemic is deteriorating the condition of ill prisoners.

18 February. The Justice Ministryannounced the beginning of a vaccination campaign for the country’s inmates. Inmates over 65 years of age and those with chronic illness were prioritised.

14 January. A member of the political opposition denounced the lengthy quarantine of incarcerated mothers and their babies in cells that are dirty and overcrowded. Turkish law provides, in theory, a suspended prison sentence for pregnant women, and for those who have given birth less than a year and a half previously.

Contact with the outside world¶

2 November. Prisoners denounced ongoing restrictions on visits. Restrictions related to large gatherings were lifted. Contact during visits continued to be prohibited and separation screens were used, even for vaccinated prisoners.

14 October. Visitation restrictions were still in effect despite new regulation. “Many restrictions on prisoners were imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said one family member. “They are not allowed to socialise with one another, and sometimes families are turned away from the prison without being allowed to see their loved ones.”

30 August. Contact visits were banned despite prisoners being vaccinated. According to the law, these types of visits must be allowed at least once a month and on national and religious holidays.

22 July. Visits were banned during Eid, for the fourth time in a row. The wife of one of the prisoners said that the number of non-contact visits had been cut by half, and there were no additional phone call privileges. She said that the Minister of Justice did not follow up on the promise he made 13 months ago to provide access to video calls.

27 May. Families of prisoners stated that the health crisis was being used as a pretext to prevent them from seeing their relatives. They insisted that health measures have also been insufficient to protect prisoners.

Acts of protest¶

16 March. The pandemic is causing further suffering and adding psychological pressure to some prisoners who are resorting to hunger strikes. Prisons have decreased surveillance because of the health crisis. The Civil Society in the Penal System Association (CISST) has been receiving “reports of grave abuses and misconduct“. Lawyers are not allowed to see their clients, family members cannot visit loved ones, and incarcerated people are rarely permitted to play sports or go to the library.

Appeals and recommendations¶

16 June. The Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has submitted a request for a debate in Parliament. They have requested that a solution be developed for the violations of right to health and life suffered by ill prisoners. The Party emphasises that “it has become an important agenda to not leave ill prisoners at risk”.

19 May. Ten civil society organisations called on the Justice Ministry to give the latest prison COVID-19 figures. Some of the organisations indicated that the latest counts were from 21 February, when the daily infection rate was around 8,000 cases. According to the report, “since then, daily COVID-19 cases reached up to 60,000 a day, but no information has been released to the public on the pandemic measures, how many inmates were administered PCR tests, how many cases were recorded or how many have died.”

15 April. The organisation Civil Society in the Penal System (CISS) declared that all prisoners should be vaccinated, and not just seniors.

Identified cases¶

10 October. At least 10 cases were confirmed in Antalya State Prison. These included 2 children and a 60-year-old man.

27 May. The Director of the Prison Service announced the death of 50 prisoners since the beginning of the pandemic. He stated that the measures taken by the Ministry of Justice had mitigated the effects of the pandemic.

22 May. One prisoner at Çanakkale prison died on 5 May from COVID-19. He had been transferred to intensive care one week before his death. Proof of negligence was reported by the Stockholm Center for Freedom. The individual had called on a judge to declare he was suffering from respiratory illness. His appeals were ignored.

16 May. A prisoner at Kocaeli prison has died. Sources reported that all prisoners in the same quarter had contracted the virus.

16 March. Prison authorities reported that 55 of the 372 prisons recorded cases of COVID-19. They confirmed that 240 prisoners tested positive between March 2020 and February 2021. Nineteen deaths were reported. Civil society organisations questioned the official numbers. Some prisoners with symptoms were not tested, according to recent complaints received by the CISST. It cited inconsistencies between the number reported by the authorities and those of prisoners’ families and even of lawyers.

18 February. The Justice Ministry announced the presence of 240 active positive cases at 55 prisons.

20 January. Attorney Metin Yücel died in prison of COVID-19. The information came from a deputy and member of the political opposition.