KATHMANDU: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the government to ensure high alertness for the safety of inmates, security persons and jail employees amid the rising cases of COVID-19 of late.
Issuing a press release on Wednesday, NHRC Secretary Bed Prasad Bhattarai said even though PCR tests are conducted on inmates, the risk of future infection cannot be ignored.
The new inmates, NHRC argued, can be kept separately from the old ones for the time being.
Bhattarai also urged the government to ensure prisoners’ right to life and right to health.
Central jail, district jails from Banke, Sunsari, Siraha, Parsa and others have recorded infection of coronavirus among prisoners, security persons and prison employees.
As many as 21,000 inmates are currently languishing in 71 jails across the country.
The NHRC said most of the prisons are crowded in the country, which is detrimental.
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