No Evidence Of Torture, Harassment Of Female Inmates In Kot Lakhpat Jail: Ombudsperson

News Desk

Islamabad: Federal Ombudsperson for Protection of Women Against Harassment (FOSPAH) at Workplace Fauzia Viqar found no evidence and received no reports of physical torture or sexual harassment by the Police or Prison staff in post-May 9 context during her visit to Central Jail Kot Lakhpat Lahore.

Fauzia specifically questioned 21 female detainees who had been detained during the events of May 9 about any harassment they may have experienced. They refuted any sexual or other types of harassment by police or prison employees, as well as the allegations of sexual abuse that had been made public.

Prisoners who were female reported pleasure with the surroundings and amenities. Particularly, individuals detained in connection with the activities on May 9th did not report any incidences of mistreatment, abuse, or disrespect by jail personnel.

Fauzia Viqar met with Inspectorate General (IG) Police and IG Prisons, Punjab, to investigate the treatment of women prisoners and primarily assessed female arrest and detention procedures and conditions. IG Police apprised her of police mechanisms such as women’s complaint centres, Tahaffauz Markaz, and Protection centres that provide assistance to female victims of violence, the disabled and transgendered persons.

IG Prisons provided comprehensive information about treatment and facilities for women prisoners, including separate buildings (within the prison), dedicated female staff, living conditions, skills development, cameras only at the entrance, and the complaint handling mechanism, which is centrally located at the IG office.

However, the evaluation identified shortcomings in the prison’s current complaint-handling system, jeopardising its objectivity and efficiency. Female prisoners drew attention to problems such as male police officers making arrests while there were female police officers present, dragging people around during late-night raids, failing to provide arrest warrants when making arrests, and limited access to attorneys in prison.

Additionally, they stated that police officers made disparaging comments and questioned women’s political activities, which amounted to gender stereotypes and insensitivity and violated the constitution’s requirements for women’s full participation in public life.

Moreover, women detainees complained about unsanitary circumstances and were not properly informed about their rights or the Pakistan Prison Rules.

FOSPAH’s Recommendations

FOSPAH will follow up to monitor harassment of women in prisons or by police under the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace, 2010 (Amendment 2022).

It has presented a set of recommendations to resolve the identified issues in light of these findings. These include ensuring that female officials carry out arrests of women, expediting access to legal counsel where procedures permit and providing access to legal counsel for women who cannot afford it, setting up efficient complaint-handling procedures in both the police and prison systems, providing access to Prisons Rules, and putting in place gender-sensitive training programmes for police and prison staff.

The Implementation of these recommendations will contribute towards creating a more equitable and humane environment for women prisoners where the rights, well-being, and dignity of women are upheld within the criminal justice system.

FOSPAH called for regular oversight by the Prison-Related Implementation Commission established under the directions of the Islamabad High Court and convened by the Ministry of Human Rights. This will ensure prisoners are dealt with and treated in conformity with the obligations of the State of Pakistan pursuant to the ratification of international conventions.

It is important to mention that the FOSPAH at Workplace is an autonomous body dedicated to safeguarding the rights and dignity of women. The organisation conducts investigations, issues orders, and imposes penalties for violations of laws against harassment and discrimination. The assessment aimed to identify any instances of harassment, mistreatment, or abuse faced by women prisoners during their arrest, police custody, and imprisonment.