Saudi Gazette report

DAMMAM — The Human Rights Commission has conducted a total of 867 visits to prisons in the Kingdom over the past one year, Al-Hayat newspaper reported.

The commission said in its annual report there some prisons in the Kingdom were overcrowded, have a shortage of employees and workers, rendered poor services when it came to following up with the needs of some prisoners, and are ill-equipped for people with special needs.

The commission also cited procrastination in processing the papers of prisoners. Some prisoners have not even been able to contact their lawyers to follow up with their cases, it said, adding that the healthcare services in many of the Kingdom’s prisons are in a very poor state.

The report highlighted many positive steps some prisons are taking to serve the prisoners. They organized the family day. Some inmates were allowed to leave the prison for one day every month while serving their term. Many prisoners have been given facilities to continue their higher education.

The commission organizes visits to prisons, shelter homes and social observation homes to ensure that the inmates have access to their rights and are treated with dignity.

The commission also evaluates the quality of services provided by these institutions. No inmate should remain in prison after his release date, the inmates’ needs and requirements must be met by the prison staff and facilities, and the prisons should not exceed the allowed capacity.