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Complaints Before the Commission
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in self-defence or in cases of attempted escape, or active or passive physical resistance
to an order based on law or regulations. Officers who have recourse to force must use
no more than is strictly necessary and must report the incident immediately to the
director of the institution.
(b)
Prison officers shall be given special physical training to enable them to restrain
aggressive prisoners.
(c)
Except in special circumstances, staff performing duties which bring them into direct
contact with prisoners should not be armed. Furthermore, staff should in no
circumstances be provided with arms unless they have been trained in their use.
(iii) Effective grievance redressal mechanisms.
(a)
Every prisoner on admission shall be provided with written information about the
regulation governing the treatment of prisoners of his category, the disciplinary
requirements of the institution, the authorized methods of seeking information and
making complaints, and all such other matters as are necessary to enable him to
understand both his rights and his obligations and to adapt himself to the life
of the institution.
(b)
If a prisoner is illiterate, the aforesaid information shall be conveyed to him orally.
(c)
Every prisoner shall have the opportunity each weekday of making requests or
complaints to the director of the institution or the officer authorized to represent him.
(d)
Every prisoner shall be allowed to make a request or complaint, without censorship as
to substance but in proper form, to the central prison administration, the judicial
authority, or other proper authorities through approved channels.
(e)
Unless it is evidently frivolous or groundless, every request or complaint shall be
promptly dealt with and replied to without undue delay.
(iv) Encouragement to receive visitors and maintain correspondence, interview facilities;
access to the more important items of the news by any means authorized by the
administration; access for foreign nationals to their diplomatic representatives.
(v) Overseeing bodies including members from civil society to ensure the absence of
corruption and abuse of power in jails.
(xi) Regarding those undertrials whose trial has been suspended for even a single day due to
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