Inmates observe World Human Rights Day
SHILLONG: A programme for jail inmates was organised by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) East Khasi Hills on the occasion of World Human Rights Day at the Shillong District Jail on Saturday.
The programme was organised to impart awareness on the various human and legal rights of UTPs undergoing trial and convicts undergoing sentence.
The resource persons who spoke on the occasion were Vivek Syiem SP(City) East Khasi Hills, VGK Kynta , Senior Advocate, High Court of Meghalaya, Rubina Subba, representative from NACO, senior Medical & Health Officer, District Jail Shillong and K.R Mehra, Legal Aid Counsel DLSA.
Stating that the initiative is to highlight the programmes that are made available to the inmates, VGK Kynta, senior advocate, Meghalaya High Court told reporters, “It appears that there no human rights violation. The police personnel are more than human in the enforcement of their job and no cases have been reported to us.”
However, he expressed concern on the issue of congestion in the jail and in this connection, he said, “The number of inmates exceeds the capacity of the jail. The government should look into this seriously and to see that living conditions of the inmates are taken care of.”
Kynta observed that there is only one medical officer in the district jail. “For such a huge number of inmates, there is only one doctor and very less medical staff to assist him. It appears that the jail hospital inside the premises is not very adequate. The government should perhaps look into this as more medical facilities are provided.”
Issue on procedures of arrests to be observed by police, police interrogation, trial and production, health and well being of UTPs were discussed.
There was also an interactive session over tea with all the inmates to voice their problems.
The DLSA also made a visit to the general jail ward, womens’ cell and high security cell.
