-On August 13, a joint team comprising members of the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) and the Advocacy Forum Madhesh Province Office conducted a monitoring visit to the District Jail situated in Rajviraj Municipality-6.

The team, which included INSEC member Baidyanath Jha, Madhesh Province coordinator Raju Paswan, INSEC representative Manohar Kumar Pokharel, and advocate Rajkumar Mahaseth, who also serves as the coordinator of the Advocacy Forum Madhesh Province, interacted with various stakeholders within the jail, including prison officials, staff, police, guards, and inmates. The focus of the visit was to assess the human rights situation within the prison and discuss matters of concern.

Raju Paswan, INSEC State Coordinator, highlighted that the organization has been consistently monitoring prisons, providing recommendations to relevant authorities for necessary improvements. The aim is to ensure that prisoners’ basic rights are upheld, given that correctional facilities should be rehabilitative and prisoners should be treated humanely.

The team engaged with both male and female inmates, discussing the conditions, facilities, and challenges they encounter, such as access to drinking water, sanitation, sports equipment, communication facilities, health check-ups, and accommodations. Inmates also expressed their concerns about the deteriorating buildings that affect their sleep and overall living conditions. They requested assistance in repairing these structures and improving access to health services.

Sadananda Das, Acting Jail Administration, revealed that the prison, categorized as ‘D’ class, has a capacity for 155 individuals, including 15 women, but is currently accommodating 423 inmates, including 17 women. He noted that in 2022 and 2023, the prison hosted 370 prisoners and detainees.

The team observed disparities in the inmate population distribution, with 222 individuals in ‘A Block’ and 184 in ‘B Block’. Notably, among the 423 inmates, 199 are prisoners, and 224 are detainees, including 1 Indian woman and 21 men.

Security personnel shared that there’s a mix of individuals with various conditions, including mental health patients, HIV-positive individuals, and paralyzed individuals, all coexisting within the jail. The absence of a system to segregate different groups of inmates based on age, health status, and the nature of their cases was acknowledged.

The team appreciated the provision of financial support and rice to inmates since January 2, 2023, but also discussed the need for expedited legal procedures, particularly for those in pre-trial detention for extended periods.

Advocate Mahaseth emphasized that after monitoring all six prisons within Madhesh Province, the Advocacy Forum plans to raise the issues with the provincial government. This includes food, accommodation, health services, education, and skill development in line with the government’s correctional facility development policy.

The prison is facing encroachment issues with a portion of its land, and efforts to address this are ongoing, with a need to balance the interests of residents with building plans. Additionally, the team discussed challenges in providing appropriate housing for inmates with different needs.

The team’s visit highlighted the complexities and challenges of prison management, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to improving inmates’ living conditions, legal procedures, and overall rehabilitation.