KATHMANDU, Sept 22: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday said that it is going to monitor the health condition of jailbirds serving time in prisons across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a press release issued by the NHRC, a team of NHRC under the leadership of its member Sudip Pathak left Kathmandu for various prisons in the seven provinces to take stock of the health condition of jailbirds. The team will monitor the health condition of coronavirus-hit jailbirds between Sept 21 and October 11.

The NHRC stated that it has been continuously drawing the attention of the government authorities concerned to the fundamental rights of jailbirds including the right to live and the right to health, among others.

The NHRC also urged the government to implement the Supreme Court’s order to prepare conditions and procedures relating to the implementation of the new penal code’s corrective measures for prisoners, within a month.

The national human rights body asked the government to issue a notice in the gazette within seven days about the implementation of the provisions whereby prisoners can be sent to corrective homes, allowed to serve their jail sentence only at night and weekends and allowed to stay in open. It has also asked the government to notify the public through the gazette about the implementation of parole related provisions.

In its verdict, the apex court had asked the government to prepare conditions and procedures for the implementation of open prisons, community service and social integration of the inmates within a month.

 
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