PRESS NOTE: Workshop on Prison Visiting System for Non-Official Visitors [Jo hp!r" #n $ %r &!g!

st" #'(%)
A workshop on the Prison Visiting System is being organized for Non-Official Visitors *NOVs+ from Jodhpur Division and Nagore district of Rajasthan on #n $ %r &!g!st" #'(%, The workshop is being co-hosted by tate !uman Rights "ommission # !R"$% "ommonwea&th !uman Rights 'nitiative #"!R'$% Rajasthan Directorate of (risons and the District Administration of Jodhpur) The aim of this workshop is to ensure that designated prison visitors deve&op the know&edge% ski&& and commitment necessary to work in the prisons as responsib&e functionaries of the system) *penness and accountabi&ity are essentia& too&s to prevent de&ay in justice to prisoners% who often suffer e+treme&y unfavorab&e conditions of detention and de&ay in tria&) An effective visiting system can ensure better prison conditions and can tack&e prob&ems &ike overstays and overcrowding through an accountab&e oversight mechanism intended to aid the prison administration) N*,s are peop&e from the civi& society appointed by the government to faci&itate this) *ver the &ast few months% !R" has successfu&&y advocated for the appointment and training of N*,s by the tate !ome Department) "ommonwea&th !uman Rights 'nitiative% working towards practical rea&ization of human rights in the countries of the "ommonwea&th% has focused on the &ega& rights of prisoners and prison conditions for more than a decade and particu&ar&y in Rajasthan for the &ast years) The workshop wi&& be attended by N*,s from Jodhpur Division (Jodhpur Central Prison, Barmer, Balotra, Jalore, Bhinmal, Sanchore, Jaisalmer, Falaudi, Pokran, Pali, Bali, Jaitaran, Sojat city, Sirohi, Abu Road) and Nagore District ( a!ore, "id#ana, $erta city, Parbatsar)) 't wi&& bring the focus on the importance of the (rison ,isiting ystem with specific attention to the ro&es% rights and duties of N*,s with reference to the Rajasthan (rison Ru&es ./0.) 't wi&& a&so he&p the N*,s in p&acing their work in the &arger framework of protection of human rights of prisoners) 'n addition% a visit to Jodhpur "entra& (rison has been p&anned which he&p the N*,s wou&d gain practica&

know&edge about their ro&e) A few representatives from civi& society organizations of Jodhpur and Jaipur wou&d a&so be present) The various sessions during the workshop wi&& be graced by an eminent pane& of e+perts from the fie&d &ike Justice %&R& 'uri (Chairperson, S%RC, Rajasthan), $r& %emant (era ("i)isional Commissioner, Jodhpur), $r& Bhupendra 'umar "ak (Commissioner *+ Police, Jodhpur), $r& *mendra Bharad#aj ("&(& Prisons, Rajasthan), $r& J& '& Sharma (*S", Jail, %ome "epartment, Rajasthan), $r& Shreenath Sharma, Ad)& ( *,, (opal (arh, Bharatpur), "aru#ala ("irector, C%R.)& !ere is what prominent members of the judiciary and human rights fraternity have to say about the workshop1 2r) !)R) 3uri% "hairperson% tate !uman Rights "ommission% Rajasthan% said1 4Non-*fficia& ,isitors have a very important ro&e to p&ay in the (rison ,isiting ystem) This workshop wi&& he&p N*,s to increase their know&edge 5 ski&&s re&ated to Ru&es and 6aws app&icab&e for we&fare of prison and prisoners as we&& as ensure its comp&iance) ' hope that this training program wi&& he&p N*,s to de&iver their ro&e of monitoring prisons in a better way and ensure protection of fundamenta& human rights of prisoners)4 $r& Rakesh $ohan Sharma (Superintendent, Jodhpur Central Prison), $r& R&'& Sa-ena (Retd& .&(&, Prisons), / $s& $aja

2r) !emant 7era% Divisiona& "ommissioner% Jodhpur said1 4(eop&e are not sufficient&y aware of their rights to visit prisons) 2embers of the community shou&d know they can meet prisoners inside jai&s and that they can smoothen things for them where their rights are concerned) The district administration is therefore p&acing importance in the organising of this workshop)4 2r) *mendra 8haradwaj% D)7) (risons% Rajasthan1 4The Non *fficia& (rison ,isiting ystem is a societa& oversight over prisons) 't is society he&ping out in prison reform which is important for socia& defence4) 2r) R)3) a+ena% Retd) ')7) (risons% Rajasthan1 4Non-*fficia& (rison ,isiting ystem is an officia& window on a c&osed prison system) Non *fficia& prison visitors can encourage community participation both in the correctiona& process and the appropriate management of the prison) They can ensure that ru&es made for prison management are proper&y fo&&owed4)

2aja Daruwa&a% Director% "!R'1 4The Non *fficia& ,isitor has to rea&ise that he is a very important part of the (rison ,isiting ystem and being a (rison ,isitor carries with it heavy duty to be di&igent% he&pfu& and assist both the administration and the prisoner4)

A certificate of attendance and identity cards issued by the Rajasthan Jai& Department wi&& be distributed at the end of the workshop) The e+pected outcomes of this training program are regu&ar visits by the N*,s to the prison% better coordination between N*,s% district and prison administration% ear&y identification of vu&nerabi&ities% so&utions for improving conditions of detention% preventing unnecessary detention and overcrowding)

9or more information% p&ease contact1

Vi ya Venkat -e ia an .omm!nications Officer .ommon/ealth 0!man Rights 1nitiati2e

: 8-..; arvodaya <nc&ave% New De&hi-.; = >/. #?..$ @-.A?BB@ C vidyaDhumanrightsinitiative)org www)humanrightsinitiative)org twitter)comEvidyajourno twitter)comEchriFint 0he Common#ealth %uman Ri!hts .nitiati)e is an international (* #ith a mandate +rom the Common#ealth o+ ations and consultati)e status at the 1nited ations, #orkin! to#ard the practical realisation o+ human ri!hts in the countries o+ the Common#ealth&