Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Human Rights Commission (HRC) emphasized that female inmates at social care centers should not remain in custody after the end of their sentencing period.

The commission called for implementing aftercare programs for inmates since entering the prison or social care centers so as to ensure their rehabilitation as much as possible while bringing down the number of cases where the inmates find it difficult to integrate with their family and community.

In a statement, HRC underscored the significance of carrying out community and field research and studies to find radical solutions to such cases.

The commission also stressed the need to work out an internal regulation that governs the role of the shelters based on the regulation to protect from abuse and give women inmates more opportunities to complete their education as well as carry out their work in accordance with the rules and regulations.

It called for enhancing the role of the Ministry of Labor and Social Development in establishing specialized societies to support and protect women inmates and make available of rehabilitation and training programs.

The HRC stressed the need to find suitable buildings to accommodate them in a manner appropriate to their security as well as to their psychological and social conditions.

It was also called for providing specialized treatment programs for inmates, who suffer from addiction, ever since their arrival in prison and even after the end of their period of sentence.

There should be arrangements to provide treatment for inmates who are suffering from mental disorders, and that is in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, and also for the transfer of chronic and acute cases to mental health hospitals to receive the necessary treatment.

The Commission stressed the need for providing all the shelter home staff with specialized courses in first aid in anticipation of any emergency, as well as increasing the number of technical staff and qualifying them to perform their duties in a professional way.

During its inspection tours of the social care centers for women, the HRC had made a number of observations, including that some inmates were still in the shelters even after completing their period of sentence.

It also found deficiencies in maintenance and cleanliness, the lack of fitness of some buildings and the absence of clear mechanism for lodging complaints of inmates in addition to deficiencies of some health clinics to suit the medical needs of inmates.

It is noteworthy that social care homes for women are mainly shelters for those whose sentences have ended in prison.