A/RES/70/175

United Nations

Distr.: General
8 January 2016

General Assembly
Seventieth session
Agenda item 106

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 17 December 2015
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/70/490)]

70/175. United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)
The General Assembly,
Guided by the principal purposes of the United Nations, as set out in the
Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations and the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, 1 and inspired by the determination to reaffirm faith in fundamental
human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, without distinction of
any kind, and in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small,
to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising
from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained and to
promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
Recalling all standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice
developed at the request of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal
Justice and adopted or recommended by the General Assembly, or adopted by a
United Nations congress on the prevention of crime and the treatment of offenders,
and recognizing that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a source of
inspiration for the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and
criminal justice,
Bearing in mind the long-standing concern of the United Nations for the
humanization of criminal justice and the protection of human rights, and
emphasizing the fundamental importance of human rights in the daily administration
of criminal justice and crime prevention,
Aware that the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners 2 have
been the universally acknowledged minimum standards for the detention of
prisoners and that they have been of significant value and influence, as a guide, in
the development of correctional laws, policies and practices since their adoption by
the First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of
Offenders, in 1955,

_______________
1

Resolution 217 A (III).
Human Rights: A Compilation of International Instruments, Volume I (First Part), Universal Instruments
(United Nations publication, Sales No. E.02.XIV.4 (Vol. I, Part 1)), sect. J, No. 34.
2

15-16929 (E)

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Mindful that, in the Salvador Declaration on Comprehensive Strategies for
Global Challenges: Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Systems and Their
Development in a Changing World, 3 Member States recognized that an effective,
fair, accountable and humane criminal justice system was based on the commitment
to uphold the protection of human rights in the administration of justice and the
prevention and control of crime, and acknowledged the value and impact of the
United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice in
designing and implementing national crime prevention and criminal justice policies,
procedures and programmes,
Taking into account the progressive development of international law
pertaining to the treatment of prisoners since 1955, including in international
instruments such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, 4 the
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 4 and the
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment 5 and the Optional Protocol thereto, 6
Recalling the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and
criminal justice related to the treatment of prisoners and to alternatives to
imprisonment adopted since 1955, in particular the procedures for the effective
implementation of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, 7 the
Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or
Imprisonment, 8 the Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners, 9 the United
Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules) 10
and the basic principles on the use of restorative justice programmes in criminal
matters, 11
Bearing in mind the need for vigilance with regard to the specific situation of
children, juveniles and women in the administration of justice, in particular while
they are deprived of their liberty, as called for in the United Nations Standard
Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice (the Beijing Rules), 12 the
United Nations Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency (the Riyadh
Guidelines), 13 the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of
their Liberty 14 and the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners
and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules), 15
Recalling the United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and
criminal justice adopted since 1955 that provide additional guidance on the
treatment of prisoners, including the Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement

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3

Resolution 65/230, annex.
See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.
5
United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1465, No. 24841.
6
Ibid., vol. 2375, No. 24841.
7
Economic and Social Council resolution 1984/47, annex.
8
Resolution 43/173, annex.
9
Resolution 45/111, annex.
10
Resolution 45/110, annex.
11
Economic and Social Council resolution 2002/12, annex.
12
Resolution 40/33, annex.
13
Resolution 45/112, annex.
14
Resolution 45/113, annex.
15
Resolution 65/229, annex.
4

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Officials, 16 the Principles of Medical Ethics relevant to the role of health personnel,
particularly physicians, in the protection of prisoners and detainees against torture
and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, 17 the Basic
Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, 18 the
Principles on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other
Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment 19 and the United Nations
Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems, 20
Aware of regional principles and standards related to the treatment of
prisoners, including the Principles and Best Practices on the Protection of Persons
Deprived of Liberty in the Americas, the revised European Prison Rules, the
Kampala Declaration on Prison Conditions in Africa, 21 the Arusha Declaration on
Good Prison Practice 22 and the Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Fair Trial
and Legal Assistance in Africa,
Recalling its resolution 65/230 of 21 December 2010, entitled “Twelfth United
Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice”, in which it requested
the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to establish an openended intergovernmental expert group to exchange information on best practices, as
well as national legislation and existing international law, and on the revision of
existing United Nations standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners so
that they reflect recent advances in correctional science and best practices,
Recalling also its resolutions 67/188 of 20 December 2012, 68/190 of
18 December 2013 and 69/192 of 18 December 2014, entitled “Standard Minimum
Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners”, in particular resolution 68/190, in which it
took note with appreciation of the work done by the Expert Group on the Standard
Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, and resolution 69/192, in which it
emphasized that efforts should be made to finalize the revision process, building on
the recommendations made at the three meetings of the Expert Group and the
submissions of Member States,
Mindful that, in its resolution 68/190, it took into consideration the
recommendations of the Expert Group with regard to the issues and the rules of the
Standard Minimum Rules that had been identified for revision in the following areas:
(a) Respect for prisoners’ inherent dignity and value as human beings
(rules 6, para. 1; 57–59; and 60, para. 1),
(b)

Medical and health services (rules 22–26; 52; 62; and 71, para. 2),

(c) Disciplinary action and punishment, including the role of medical staff,
solitary confinement and reduction of diet (rules 27, 29, 31 and 32),
(d) Investigation of all deaths in custody, as well as of any signs or
allegations of torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of prisoners
(rule 7 and proposed rules 44 bis and 54 bis),
_______________
16

Resolution 34/169, annex.
Resolution 37/194, annex.
18
Eighth United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, Havana,
27 August–7 September 1990: report prepared by the Secretariat (United Nations publication, Sales
No. E.91.IV.2), chap. I, sect. B.2, annex.
19
Resolution 55/89, annex.
20
Resolution 67/187, annex.
21
Economic and Social Council resolution 1997/36, annex.
22
Economic and Social Council resolution 1999/27, annex.
17

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(e) Protection and special needs of vulnerable groups deprived of their
liberty, taking into consideration countries in difficult circumstances (rules 6 and 7),
(f)
and 93),
(g)

The right of access to legal representation (rules 30; 35, para. 1; 37;
Complaints and independent inspection (rules 36 and 55),

(h) The replacement of outdated terminology (rules 22–26, 62, 82 and 83
and various others),
(i) Training of relevant staff to implement the Standard Minimum Rules
(rule 47),
Mindful also that, in its resolution 69/192, it reiterated that any changes to the
Standard Minimum Rules should not lower any of the existing standards, but should
reflect recent advances in correctional science and good practices so as to promote
safety, security and humane conditions for prisoners,
Mindful further of the extensive consultative process culminating in the
recommendations of the Expert Group, a process spanning a period of five years,
consisting of technical and expert pre-consultations, meetings in Vienna, Buenos
Aires and Cape Town, South Africa, and the active participation and input of
Member States from all regions, assisted by representatives of the United Nations
crime prevention and criminal justice programme network and other United Nations
entities, including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human
Rights, the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or
Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime, intergovernmental organizations, including the International Committee of
the Red Cross, specialized agencies in the United Nations system, including the
World Health Organization, and non-governmental organizations and individual
experts in the field of correctional science and human rights,
Recalling its resolution 69/172 of 18 December 2014, entitled “Human rights
in the administration of justice”, in which it recognized the importance of the
principle that, except for those lawful limitations that are demonstrably necessitated
by the fact of incarceration, persons deprived of their liberty shall retain their
non-derogable human rights and all other human rights and fundamental freedoms,
recalled that the social rehabilitation and reintegration of persons deprived of their
liberty shall be among the essential aims of the criminal justice system, ensuring, as
far as possible, that offenders are able to lead a law-abiding and self-supporting life
upon their return to society, and took note of, inter alia, general comment No. 21 on
the humane treatment of persons deprived of their liberty, adopted by the Human
Rights Committee, 23
1.
Expresses its gratitude and appreciation to the Government of South
Africa for hosting the meeting of the Expert Group on the Standard Minimum Rules
for the Treatment of Prisoners held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 2 to 5 March
2015 and for providing financial support and leadership throughout the review
process, and notes with appreciation the consensus achieved on the nine thematic
areas and the rules identified for revision by the Expert Group at its previous
meetings; 24
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23

Official Records of the General Assembly, Forty-seventh Session, Supplement No. 40 (A/47/40),
annex VI.B.
24
See E/CN.15/2015/17.

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2.
Expresses its appreciation to the Government of Argentina for hosting
and financing the meeting of the Expert Group held in Buenos Aires from
11 to 13 December 2012 and to the Government of Brazil for its financial contribution
to the meeting of the Expert Group held in Vienna from 25 to 28 March 2014;
3.
Acknowledges the valuable work accomplished by the bureau of the
meeting of the Expert Group held in Vienna in 2014 in preparing, with the
assistance of the Secretariat, the documentation for the meeting of the Expert Group
held in Cape Town in 2015, in particular the revised consolidated working paper; 25
4.
Notes that in the Doha Declaration on Integrating Crime Prevention and
Criminal Justice into the Wider United Nations Agenda to Address Social and
Economic Challenges and to Promote the Rule of Law at the National and
International Levels, and Public Participation, adopted by the Thirteenth United
Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, held in Doha from
12 to 19 April 2015, 26 the Thirteenth Congress welcomed the work of the Expert
Group, and took note of the draft updated Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners, as finalized by the Expert Group at its meeting held in Cape
Town in March 2015;
5.
Adopts the proposed revision of the Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners, annexed to the present resolution, as the United Nations
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners;
6.
Approves the recommendation of the Expert Group that the Rules should
be known as “the Nelson Mandela Rules”, to honour the legacy of the late President
of South Africa, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison in the
course of his struggle for global human rights, equality, democracy and the
promotion of a culture of peace;
7.
Decides to extend the scope of Nelson Mandela International Day,
observed each year on 18 July, 27 to be also utilized in order to promote humane
conditions of imprisonment, to raise awareness about prisoners being a continuous
part of society and to value the work of prison staff as a social service of particular
importance, and to this end invites Member States, regional organizations and
organizations of the United Nations system to celebrate this occasion in an
appropriate manner;
8.
Reaffirms, in the context of paragraph 5 above, the preliminary
observations to the Nelson Mandela Rules, underscores the non-binding nature of
the Rules, acknowledges the variety of Member States’ legal frameworks, and in
that regard recognizes that Member States may adapt the application of the Rules in
accordance with their domestic legal frameworks, as appropriate, bearing in mind
the spirit and purposes of the Rules;
9.
Encourages Member States to endeavour to improve conditions in
detention, consistent with the Nelson Mandela Rules and all other relevant and
applicable United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal
justice, to continue exchanging good practices in order to identify challenges faced
in implementing the Rules and to share their experiences in dealing with those
challenges;
_______________
25

UNODC/CCPCJ/EG.6/2015/2.
Resolution 70/174, annex.
27
See resolution 64/13.
26

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10. Invites the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice to
consider, at its upcoming sessions, reconvening the open-ended intergovernmental
Expert Group on the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners for
the purpose of identifying the lessons learned, the means to continue to exchange
good practices and the challenges faced in the implementation of the Nelson
Mandela Rules;
11. Encourages Member States to promote the implementation of the United
Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty14 and the
United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial
Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules); 15
12. Recommends that Member States continue to endeavour to reduce prison
overcrowding and, where appropriate, resort to non-custodial measures as
alternatives to pretrial detention, to promote increased access to justice and legal
defence mechanisms, to reinforce alternatives to imprisonment and to support
rehabilitation and social reintegration programmes, in accordance with the United
Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules);10
13. Notes the importance of a voluntary exchange of experiences and good
practices among Member States and with relevant international entities, where
appropriate, and the provision of technical assistance to Member States, for the
improved implementation of the Nelson Mandela Rules, upon their request;
14. Encourages Member States to consider allocating adequate human and
financial resources to assist in the improvement of prison conditions and the
application of the Nelson Mandela Rules;
15. Requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to ensure broad
dissemination of the Nelson Mandela Rules, to design guidance material and to
provide technical assistance and advisory services to Member States in the field of
penal reform, in order to develop or strengthen penitentiary legislation, procedures,
policies and practices in line with the Rules;
16. Commends the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
for its continuing contributions to the improvement of the administration of justice
through the development and refinement of international standards and norms in the
field of crime prevention and criminal justice, and calls upon Member States to
continue their efforts in this regard;
17. Requests the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to continue to
promote the use and application of the United Nations standards and norms in crime
prevention and criminal justice by, inter alia, providing advisory services and
technical assistance to Member States, on request, including assistance in crime
prevention, criminal justice and law reform, and in the organization of training for
law enforcement, crime prevention and criminal justice personnel and support in the
administration and management of penal and penitentiary systems, thus contributing
to the upgrading of their efficiency and capabilities;
18. Invites Member States and other donors to provide extrabudgetary
resources for the purposes described above, in accordance with the rules and
procedures of the United Nations;
19. Affirms the important role of the United Nations crime prevention and
criminal justice programme network, intergovernmental organizations and
non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and
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Social Council in the revision process and in contributing to the dissemination,
promotion and practical application of the Nelson Mandela Rules in accordance
with the procedures for their effective implementation.
80th plenary meeting
17 December 2015

Annex
United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules)
Preliminary observation 1
The following rules are not intended to describe in detail a model system of
penal institutions. They seek only, on the basis of the general consensus of
contemporary thought and the essential elements of the most adequate systems of
today, to set out what is generally accepted as being good principles and practice in
the treatment of prisoners and prison management.
Preliminary observation 2
1.
In view of the great variety of legal, social, economic and geographical
conditions in the world, it is evident that not all of the rules are capable of
application in all places and at all times. They should, however, serve to stimulate a
constant endeavour to overcome practical difficulties in the way of their application,
in the knowledge that they represent, as a whole, the minimum conditions which are
accepted as suitable by the United Nations.
2.
On the other hand, the rules cover a field in which thought is constantly
developing. They are not intended to preclude experiment and practices, provided
these are in harmony with the principles and seek to further the purposes which
derive from the text of the rules as a whole. It will always be justifiable for the
central prison administration to authorize departures from the rules in this spirit.
Preliminary observation 3
1.
Part I of the rules covers the general management of prisons, and is applicable
to all categories of prisoners, criminal or civil, untried or convicted, including
prisoners subject to “security measures” or corrective measures ordered by the
judge.
2.
Part II contains rules applicable only to the special categories dealt with in
each section. Nevertheless, the rules under section A, applicable to prisoners under
sentence, shall be equally applicable to categories of prisoners dealt with in
sections B, C and D, provided they do not conflict with the rules governing those
categories and are for their benefit.
Preliminary observation 4
1.
The rules do not seek to regulate the management of institutions set aside for
young persons such as juvenile detention facilities or correctional schools, but in
general part I would be equally applicable in such institutions.

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2.
The category of young prisoners should include at least all young persons who
come within the jurisdiction of juvenile courts. As a rule, such young persons should
not be sentenced to imprisonment.
I.

Rules of general application

Basic principles
Rule 1
All prisoners shall be treated with the respect due to their inherent dignity and
value as human beings. No prisoner shall be subjected to, and all prisoners shall be
protected from, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment, for which no circumstances whatsoever may be invoked as a
justification. The safety and security of prisoners, staff, service providers and
visitors shall be ensured at all times.
Rule 2
1.
The present rules shall be applied impartially. There shall be no discrimination
on the grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion,
national or social origin, property, birth or any other status. The religious beliefs and
moral precepts of prisoners shall be respected.
2.
In order for the principle of non-discrimination to be put into practice, prison
administrations shall take account of the individual needs of prisoners, in particular
the most vulnerable categories in prison settings. Measures to protect and promote
the rights of prisoners with special needs are required and shall not be regarded as
discriminatory.
Rule 3
Imprisonment and other measures that result in cutting off persons from the
outside world are afflictive by the very fact of taking from these persons the right of
self-determination by depriving them of their liberty. Therefore the prison system
shall not, except as incidental to justifiable separation or the maintenance of
discipline, aggravate the suffering inherent in such a situation.
Rule 4
1.
The purposes of a sentence of imprisonment or similar measures deprivative of
a person’s liberty are primarily to protect society against crime and to reduce
recidivism. Those purposes can be achieved only if the period of imprisonment is
used to ensure, so far as possible, the reintegration of such persons into society upon
release so that they can lead a law-abiding and self-supporting life.
2.
To this end, prison administrations and other competent authorities should
offer education, vocational training and work, as well as other forms of assistance
that are appropriate and available, including those of a remedial, moral, spiritual,
social and health- and sports-based nature. All such programmes, activities and
services should be delivered in line with the individual treatment needs of prisoners.
Rule 5
1.
The prison regime should seek to minimize any differences between prison life
and life at liberty that tend to lessen the responsibility of the prisoners or the respect
due to their dignity as human beings.
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2.
Prison administrations shall make all reasonable accommodation and
adjustments to ensure that prisoners with physical, mental or other disabilities have
full and effective access to prison life on an equitable basis.
Prisoner file management
Rule 6
There shall be a standardized prisoner file management system in every place
where persons are imprisoned. Such a system may be an electronic database of
records or a registration book with numbered and signed pages. Procedures shall be
in place to ensure a secure audit trail and to prevent unauthorized access to or
modification of any information contained in the system.
Rule 7
No person shall be received in a prison without a valid commitment order. The
following information shall be entered in the prisoner file management system upon
admission of every prisoner:
(a) Precise information enabling determination of his or her unique identity,
respecting his or her self-perceived gender;
(b) The reasons for his or her commitment and the responsible authority, in
addition to the date, time and place of arrest;
(c)
transfer;

The day and hour of his or her admission and release as well as of any

(d)

Any visible injuries and complaints about prior ill-treatment;

(e)

An inventory of his or her personal property;

(f) The names of his or her family members, including, where applicable, his
or her children, the children’s ages, location and custody or guardianship status;
(g)

Emergency contact details and information on the prisoner’s next of kin.

Rule 8
The following information shall be entered in the prisoner file management
system in the course of imprisonment, where applicable:
(a) Information related to the judicial process, including dates of court
hearings and legal representation;
(b)

Initial assessment and classification reports;

(c)

Information related to behaviour and discipline;

(d) Requests and complaints, including allegations of torture or other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, unless they are of a confidential
nature;
(e)

Information on the imposition of disciplinary sanctions;

(f) Information on the circumstances and causes of any injuries or death and,
in the case of the latter, the destination of the remains.

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Rule 9
All records referred to in rules 7 and 8 shall be kept confidential and made
available only to those whose professional responsibilities require access to such
records. Every prisoner shall be granted access to the records pertaining to him or
her, subject to redactions authorized under domestic legislation, and shall be entitled
to receive an official copy of such records upon his or her release.
Rule 10
Prisoner file management systems shall also be used to generate reliable data
about trends relating to and characteristics of the prison population, including
occupancy rates, in order to create a basis for evidence-based decision-making.
Separation of categories
Rule 11
The different categories of prisoners shall be kept in separate institutions or
parts of institutions, taking account of their sex, age, criminal record, the legal
reason for their detention and the necessities of their treatment; thus:
(a) Men and women shall so far as possible be detained in separate
institutions; in an institution which receives both men and women, the whole of the
premises allocated to women shall be entirely separate;
(b)

Untried prisoners shall be kept separate from convicted prisoners;

(c) Persons imprisoned for debt and other civil prisoners shall be kept
separate from persons imprisoned by reason of a criminal offence;
(d)

Young prisoners shall be kept separate from adults.

Accommodation
Rule 12
1.
Where sleeping accommodation is in individual cells or rooms, each prisoner
shall occupy by night a cell or room by himself or herself. If for special reasons,
such as temporary overcrowding, it becomes necessary for the central prison
administration to make an exception to this rule, it is not desirable to have two
prisoners in a cell or room.
2.
Where dormitories are used, they shall be occupied by prisoners carefully
selected as being suitable to associate with one another in those conditions. There
shall be regular supervision by night, in keeping with the nature of the prison.
Rule 13
All accommodation provided for the use of prisoners and in particular all
sleeping accommodation shall meet all requirements of health, due regard being
paid to climatic conditions and particularly to cubic content of air, minimum floor
space, lighting, heating and ventilation.

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Rule 14
In all places where prisoners are required to live or work:
(a) The windows shall be large enough to enable the prisoners to read or
work by natural light and shall be so constructed that they can allow the entrance of
fresh air whether or not there is artificial ventilation;
(b) Artificial light shall be provided sufficient for the prisoners to read or
work without injury to eyesight.
Rule 15
The sanitary installations shall be adequate to enable every prisoner to comply
with the needs of nature when necessary and in a clean and decent manner.
Rule 16
Adequate bathing and shower installations shall be provided so that every
prisoner can, and may be required to, have a bath or shower, at a temperature
suitable to the climate, as frequently as necessary for general hygiene according to
season and geographical region, but at least once a week in a temperate climate.
Rule 17
All parts of a prison regularly used by prisoners shall be properly maintained
and kept scrupulously clean at all times.
Personal hygiene
Rule 18
1.
Prisoners shall be required to keep their persons clean, and to this end they
shall be provided with water and with such toilet articles as are necessary for health
and cleanliness.
2.
In order that prisoners may maintain a good appearance compatible with their
self-respect, facilities shall be provided for the proper care of the hair and beard,
and men shall be able to shave regularly.
Clothing and bedding
Rule 19
1.
Every prisoner who is not allowed to wear his or her own clothing shall be
provided with an outfit of clothing suitable for the climate and adequate to keep him
or her in good health. Such clothing shall in no manner be degrading or humiliating.
2.
All clothing shall be clean and kept in proper condition. Underclothing shall
be changed and washed as often as necessary for the maintenance of hygiene.
3.
In exceptional circumstances, whenever a prisoner is removed outside the
prison for an authorized purpose, he or she shall be allowed to wear his or her own
clothing or other inconspicuous clothing.
Rule 20
If prisoners are allowed to wear their own clothing, arrangements shall be
made on their admission to the prison to ensure that it shall be clean and fit for use.

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Rule 21
Every prisoner shall, in accordance with local or national standards, be
provided with a separate bed and with separate and sufficient bedding which shall
be clean when issued, kept in good order and changed often enough to ensure its
cleanliness.
Food
Rule 22
1.
Every prisoner shall be provided by the prison administration at the usual
hours with food of nutritional value adequate for health and strength, of wholesome
quality and well prepared and served.
2.

Drinking water shall be available to every prisoner whenever he or she needs it.

Exercise and sport
Rule 23
1.
Every prisoner who is not employed in outdoor work shall have at least one
hour of suitable exercise in the open air daily if the weather permits.
2.
Young prisoners, and others of suitable age and physique, shall receive
physical and recreational training during the period of exercise. To this end, space,
installations and equipment should be provided.
Health-care services
Rule 24
1.
The provision of health care for prisoners is a State responsibility. Prisoners
should enjoy the same standards of health care that are available in the community,
and should have access to necessary health-care services free of charge without
discrimination on the grounds of their legal status.
2.
Health-care services should be organized in close relationship to the general
public health administration and in a way that ensures continuity of treatment and
care, including for HIV, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, as well as for
drug dependence.
Rule 25
1.
Every prison shall have in place a health-care service tasked with evaluating,
promoting, protecting and improving the physical and mental health of prisoners,
paying particular attention to prisoners with special health-care needs or with health
issues that hamper their rehabilitation.
2.
The health-care service shall consist of an interdisciplinary team with sufficient
qualified personnel acting in full clinical independence and shall encompass sufficient
expertise in psychology and psychiatry. The services of a qualified dentist shall be
available to every prisoner.
Rule 26
1.
The health-care service shall prepare and maintain accurate, up-to-date and
confidential individual medical files on all prisoners, and all prisoners should be
granted access to their files upon request. A prisoner may appoint a third party to
access his or her medical file.
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2.
Medical files shall be transferred to the health-care service of the receiving
institution upon transfer of a prisoner and shall be subject to medical confidentiality.
Rule 27
1.
All prisons shall ensure prompt access to medical attention in urgent cases.
Prisoners who require specialized treatment or surgery shall be transferred to
specialized institutions or to civil hospitals. Where a prison service has its own
hospital facilities, they shall be adequately staffed and equipped to provide prisoners
referred to them with appropriate treatment and care.
2.
Clinical decisions may only be taken by the responsible health-care
professionals and may not be overruled or ignored by non-medical prison staff.
Rule 28
In women’s prisons, there shall be special accommodation for all necessary
prenatal and postnatal care and treatment. Arrangements shall be made wherever
practicable for children to be born in a hospital outside the prison. If a child is born
in prison, this fact shall not be mentioned in the birth certificate.
Rule 29
1.
A decision to allow a child to stay with his or her parent in prison shall be
based on the best interests of the child concerned. Where children are allowed to
remain in prison with a parent, provision shall be made for:
(a) Internal or external childcare facilities staffed by qualified persons,
where the children shall be placed when they are not in the care of their parent;
(b) Child-specific health-care services, including health screenings upon
admission and ongoing monitoring of their development by specialists.
2.

Children in prison with a parent shall never be treated as prisoners.

Rule 30
A physician or other qualified health-care professionals, whether or not they
are required to report to the physician, shall see, talk with and examine every
prisoner as soon as possible following his or her admission and thereafter as
necessary. Particular attention shall be paid to:
(a) Identifying health-care needs and taking all necessary measures for
treatment;
(b) Identifying any ill-treatment that arriving prisoners may have been
subjected to prior to admission;
(c) Identifying any signs of psychological or other stress brought on by the
fact of imprisonment, including, but not limited to, the risk of suicide or self-harm
and withdrawal symptoms resulting from the use of drugs, medication or alcohol;
and undertaking all appropriate individualized measures or treatment;
(d) In cases where prisoners are suspected of having contagious diseases,
providing for the clinical isolation and adequate treatment of those prisoners during
the infectious period;
(e) Determining the fitness of prisoners to work, to exercise and to
participate in other activities, as appropriate.

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Rule 31
The physician or, where applicable, other qualified health-care professionals
shall have daily access to all sick prisoners, all prisoners who complain of physical
or mental health issues or injury and any prisoner to whom their attention is specially
directed. All medical examinations shall be undertaken in full confidentiality.
Rule 32
1.
The relationship between the physician or other health-care professionals and
the prisoners shall be governed by the same ethical and professional standards as
those applicable to patients in the community, in particular:
(a) The duty of protecting prisoners’ physical and mental health and the
prevention and treatment of disease on the basis of clinical grounds only;
(b) Adherence to prisoners’ autonomy with regard to their own health and
informed consent in the doctor-patient relationship;
(c) The confidentiality of medical information, unless maintaining such
confidentiality would result in a real and imminent threat to the patient or to others;
(d) An absolute prohibition on engaging, actively or passively, in acts that
may constitute torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,
including medical or scientific experimentation that may be detrimental to a
prisoner’s health, such as the removal of a prisoner’s cells, body tissues or organs.
2.
Without prejudice to paragraph 1 (d) of this rule, prisoners may be allowed,
upon their free and informed consent and in accordance with applicable law, to
participate in clinical trials and other health research accessible in the community if
these are expected to produce a direct and significant benefit to their health, and to
donate cells, body tissues or organs to a relative.
Rule 33
The physician shall report to the prison director whenever he or she considers
that a prisoner’s physical or mental health has been or will be injuriously affected
by continued imprisonment or by any condition of imprisonment.
Rule 34
If, in the course of examining a prisoner upon admission or providing medical
care to the prisoner thereafter, health-care professionals become aware of any signs
of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, they shall
document and report such cases to the competent medical, administrative or judicial
authority. Proper procedural safeguards shall be followed in order not to expose the
prisoner or associated persons to foreseeable risk of harm.
Rule 35
1.
The physician or competent public health body shall regularly inspect and
advise the prison director on:

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(a)

The quantity, quality, preparation and service of food;

(b)

The hygiene and cleanliness of the institution and the prisoners;

(c)

The sanitation, temperature, lighting and ventilation of the prison;

(d)

The suitability and cleanliness of the prisoners’ clothing and bedding;

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(e) The observance of the rules concerning physical education and sports, in
cases where there is no technical personnel in charge of these activities.
2.
The prison director shall take into consideration the advice and reports
provided in accordance with paragraph 1 of this rule and rule 33 and shall take
immediate steps to give effect to the advice and the recommendations in the reports.
If the advice or recommendations do not fall within the prison director’s
competence or if he or she does not concur with them, the director shall
immediately submit to a higher authority his or her own report and the advice or
recommendations of the physician or competent public health body.
Restrictions, discipline and sanctions
Rule 36
Discipline and order shall be maintained with no more restriction than is
necessary to ensure safe custody, the secure operation of the prison and a well
ordered community life.
Rule 37
The following shall always be subject to authorization by law or by the
regulation of the competent administrative authority:
(a)

Conduct constituting a disciplinary offence;

(b)

The types and duration of sanctions that may be imposed;

(c)

The authority competent to impose such sanctions;

(d) Any form of involuntary separation from the general prison population,
such as solitary confinement, isolation, segregation, special care units or restricted
housing, whether as a disciplinary sanction or for the maintenance of order and
security, including promulgating policies and procedures governing the use and
review of, admission to and release from any form of involuntary separation.
Rule 38
1.
Prison administrations are encouraged to use, to the extent possible, conflict
prevention, mediation or any other alternative dispute resolution mechanism to
prevent disciplinary offences or to resolve conflicts.
2.
For prisoners who are, or have been, separated, the prison administration shall
take the necessary measures to alleviate the potential detrimental effects of their
confinement on them and on their community following their release from prison.
Rule 39
1.
No prisoner shall be sanctioned except in accordance with the terms of the law
or regulation referred to in rule 37 and the principles of fairness and due process. A
prisoner shall never be sanctioned twice for the same act or offence.
2.
Prison administrations shall ensure proportionality between a disciplinary
sanction and the offence for which it is established, and shall keep a proper record
of all disciplinary sanctions imposed.
3.
Before imposing disciplinary sanctions, prison administrations shall consider
whether and how a prisoner’s mental illness or developmental disability may have
contributed to his or her conduct and the commission of the offence or act
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underlying the disciplinary charge. Prison administrations shall not sanction any
conduct of a prisoner that is considered to be the direct result of his or her mental
illness or intellectual disability.
Rule 40
1.
No prisoner shall be employed, in the service of the prison, in any disciplinary
capacity.
2.
This rule shall not, however, impede the proper functioning of systems based
on self-government, under which specified social, educational or sports activities or
responsibilities are entrusted, under supervision, to prisoners who are formed into
groups for the purposes of treatment.
Rule 41
1.
Any allegation of a disciplinary offence by a prisoner shall be reported
promptly to the competent authority, which shall investigate it without undue delay.
2.
Prisoners shall be informed, without delay and in a language that they
understand, of the nature of the accusations against them and shall be given
adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence.
3.
Prisoners shall be allowed to defend themselves in person, or through legal
assistance when the interests of justice so require, particularly in cases involving
serious disciplinary charges. If the prisoners do not understand or speak the
language used at a disciplinary hearing, they shall be assisted by a competent
interpreter free of charge.
4.
Prisoners shall have an opportunity to seek judicial review of disciplinary
sanctions imposed against them.
5.
In the event that a breach of discipline is prosecuted as a crime, prisoners shall
be entitled to all due process guarantees applicable to criminal proceedings,
including unimpeded access to a legal adviser.
Rule 42
General living conditions addressed in these rules, including those related to
light, ventilation, temperature, sanitation, nutrition, drinking water, access to open
air and physical exercise, personal hygiene, health care and adequate personal
space, shall apply to all prisoners without exception.
Rule 43
1.
In no circumstances may restrictions or disciplinary sanctions amount to
torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The following
practices, in particular, shall be prohibited:
(a)

Indefinite solitary confinement;

(b)

Prolonged solitary confinement;

(c)

Placement of a prisoner in a dark or constantly lit cell;

(d)
water;
(e)

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Corporal punishment or the reduction of a prisoner’s diet or drinking
Collective punishment.

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2.
Instruments of restraint shall never be applied as a sanction for disciplinary
offences.
3.
Disciplinary sanctions or restrictive measures shall not include the prohibition
of family contact. The means of family contact may only be restricted for a limited
time period and as strictly required for the maintenance of security and order.
Rule 44
For the purpose of these rules, solitary confinement shall refer to the
confinement of prisoners for 22 hours or more a day without meaningful human
contact. Prolonged solitary confinement shall refer to solitary confinement for a
time period in excess of 15 consecutive days.
Rule 45
1.
Solitary confinement shall be used only in exceptional cases as a last resort,
for as short a time as possible and subject to independent review, and only pursuant
to the authorization by a competent authority. It shall not be imposed by virtue of a
prisoner’s sentence.
2.
The imposition of solitary confinement should be prohibited in the case of
prisoners with mental or physical disabilities when their conditions would be
exacerbated by such measures. The prohibition of the use of solitary confinement
and similar measures in cases involving women and children, as referred to in other
United Nations standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice, 28
continues to apply.
Rule 46
1.
Health-care personnel shall not have any role in the imposition of disciplinary
sanctions or other restrictive measures. They shall, however, pay particular attention
to the health of prisoners held under any form of involuntary separation, including
by visiting such prisoners on a daily basis and providing prompt medical assistance
and treatment at the request of such prisoners or prison staff.
2.
Health-care personnel shall report to the prison director, without delay, any
adverse effect of disciplinary sanctions or other restrictive measures on the physical
or mental health of a prisoner subjected to such sanctions or measures and shall
advise the director if they consider it necessary to terminate or alter them for
physical or mental health reasons.
3.
Health-care personnel shall have the authority to review and recommend
changes to the involuntary separation of a prisoner in order to ensure that such
separation does not exacerbate the medical condition or mental or physical disability
of the prisoner.
Instruments of restraint
Rule 47
1.
The use of chains, irons or other instruments of restraint which are inherently
degrading or painful shall be prohibited.
_______________
28

See rule 67 of the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty
(resolution 45/113, annex); and rule 22 of the United Nations Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners
and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules) (resolution 65/229, annex).

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2.
Other instruments of restraint shall only be used when authorized by law and
in the following circumstances:
(a) As a precaution against escape during a transfer, provided that they are
removed when the prisoner appears before a judicial or administrative authority;
(b) By order of the prison director, if other methods of control fail, in order
to prevent a prisoner from injuring himself or herself or others or from damaging
property; in such instances, the director shall immediately alert the physician or other
qualified health-care professionals and report to the higher administrative authority.
Rule 48
1.
When the imposition of instruments of restraint is authorized in accordance
with paragraph 2 of rule 47, the following principles shall apply:
(a) Instruments of restraint are to be imposed only when no lesser form of
control would be effective to address the risks posed by unrestricted movement;
(b) The method of restraint shall be the least intrusive method that is
necessary and reasonably available to control the prisoner’s movement, based on the
level and nature of the risks posed;
(c) Instruments of restraint shall be imposed only for the time period
required, and they are to be removed as soon as possible after the risks posed by
unrestricted movement are no longer present.
2.
Instruments of restraint shall never be used on women during labour, during
childbirth and immediately after childbirth.
Rule 49
The prison administration should seek access to, and provide training in the
use of, control techniques that would obviate the need for the imposition of
instruments of restraint or reduce their intrusiveness.
Searches of prisoners and cells
Rule 50
The laws and regulations governing searches of prisoners and cells shall be in
accordance with obligations under international law and shall take into account
international standards and norms, keeping in mind the need to ensure security in
the prison. Searches shall be conducted in a manner that is respectful of the inherent
human dignity and privacy of the individual being searched, as well as the
principles of proportionality, legality and necessity.
Rule 51
Searches shall not be used to harass, intimidate or unnecessarily intrude upon a
prisoner’s privacy. For the purpose of accountability, the prison administration shall
keep appropriate records of searches, in particular strip and body cavity searches
and searches of cells, as well as the reasons for the searches, the identities of those
who conducted them and any results of the searches.
Rule 52
1.
Intrusive searches, including strip and body cavity searches, should be
undertaken only if absolutely necessary. Prison administrations shall be encouraged
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to develop and use appropriate alternatives to intrusive searches. Intrusive searches
shall be conducted in private and by trained staff of the same sex as the prisoner.
2.
Body cavity searches shall be conducted only by qualified health-care
professionals other than those primarily responsible for the care of the prisoner or,
at a minimum, by staff appropriately trained by a medical professional in standards
of hygiene, health and safety.
Rule 53
Prisoners shall have access to, or be allowed to keep in their possession
without access by the prison administration, documents relating to their legal
proceedings.
Information to and complaints by prisoners
Rule 54
Upon admission, every prisoner shall be promptly provided with written
information about:
(a)

The prison law and applicable prison regulations;

(b) His or her rights, including authorized methods of seeking information,
access to legal advice, including through legal aid schemes, and procedures for
making requests or complaints;
(c)

His or her obligations, including applicable disciplinary sanctions; and

(d) All other matters necessary to enable the prisoner to adapt himself or
herself to the life of the prison.
Rule 55
1.
The information referred to in rule 54 shall be available in the most commonly
used languages in accordance with the needs of the prison population. If a prisoner
does not understand any of those languages, interpretation assistance should be
provided.
2.
If a prisoner is illiterate, the information shall be conveyed to him or her
orally. Prisoners with sensory disabilities should be provided with information in a
manner appropriate to their needs.
3.
The prison administration shall prominently display summaries of the
information in common areas of the prison.
Rule 56
1.
Every prisoner shall have the opportunity each day to make requests or
complaints to the prison director or the prison staff member authorized to represent
him or her.
2.
It shall be possible to make requests or complaints to the inspector of prisons
during his or her inspections. The prisoner shall have the opportunity to talk to the
inspector or any other inspecting officer freely and in full confidentiality, without
the director or other members of the staff being present.
3.
Every prisoner shall be allowed to make a request or complaint regarding his
or her treatment, without censorship as to substance, to the central prison

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administration and to the judicial or other competent authorities, including those
vested with reviewing or remedial power.
4.
The rights under paragraphs 1 to 3 of this rule shall extend to the legal adviser
of the prisoner. In those cases where neither the prisoner nor his or her legal adviser
has the possibility of exercising such rights, a member of the prisoner’s family or
any other person who has knowledge of the case may do so.
Rule 57
1.
Every request or complaint shall be promptly dealt with and replied to without
delay. If the request or complaint is rejected, or in the event of undue delay, the
complainant shall be entitled to bring it before a judicial or other authority.
2.
Safeguards shall be in place to ensure that prisoners can make requests or
complaints safely and, if so requested by the complainant, in a confidential manner.
A prisoner or other person mentioned in paragraph 4 of rule 56 must not be exposed
to any risk of retaliation, intimidation or other negative consequences as a result of
having submitted a request or complaint.
3.
Allegations of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment of prisoners shall be dealt with immediately and shall result in a prompt
and impartial investigation conducted by an independent national authority in
accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of rule 71.
Contact with the outside world
Rule 58
1.
Prisoners shall be allowed, under necessary supervision, to communicate with
their family and friends at regular intervals:
(a) By corresponding in writing and using,
telecommunication, electronic, digital and other means; and
(b)

where

available,

By receiving visits.

2.
Where conjugal visits are allowed, this right shall be applied without
discrimination, and women prisoners shall be able to exercise this right on an equal
basis with men. Procedures shall be in place and premises shall be made available to
ensure fair and equal access with due regard to safety and dignity.
Rule 59
Prisoners shall be allocated, to the extent possible, to prisons close to their
homes or their places of social rehabilitation.
Rule 60
1.
Admission of visitors to the prison facility is contingent upon the visitor’s
consent to being searched. The visitor may withdraw his or her consent at any time,
in which case the prison administration may refuse access.
2.
Search and entry procedures for visitors shall not be degrading and shall be
governed by principles at least as protective as those outlined in rules 50 to 52.
Body cavity searches should be avoided and should not be applied to children.

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Rule 61
1.
Prisoners shall be provided with adequate opportunity, time and facilities to be
visited by and to communicate and consult with a legal adviser of their own choice
or a legal aid provider, without delay, interception or censorship and in full
confidentiality, on any legal matter, in conformity with applicable domestic law.
Consultations may be within sight, but not within hearing, of prison staff.
2.
In cases in which prisoners do not speak the local language, the prison
administration shall facilitate access to the services of an independent competent
interpreter.
3.

Prisoners should have access to effective legal aid.

Rule 62
1.
Prisoners who are foreign nationals shall be allowed reasonable facilities to
communicate with the diplomatic and consular representatives of the State to which
they belong.
2.
Prisoners who are nationals of States without diplomatic or consular
representation in the country and refugees or stateless persons shall be allowed
similar facilities to communicate with the diplomatic representative of the State
which takes charge of their interests or any national or international authority whose
task it is to protect such persons.
Rule 63
Prisoners shall be kept informed regularly of the more important items of news
by the reading of newspapers, periodicals or special institutional publications, by
hearing wireless transmissions, by lectures or by any similar means as authorized or
controlled by the prison administration.
Books
Rule 64
Every prison shall have a library for the use of all categories of prisoners,
adequately stocked with both recreational and instructional books, and prisoners
shall be encouraged to make full use of it.
Religion
Rule 65
1.
If the prison contains a sufficient number of prisoners of the same religion, a
qualified representative of that religion shall be appointed or approved. If the
number of prisoners justifies it and conditions permit, the arrangement should be on
a full-time basis.
2.
A qualified representative appointed or approved under paragraph 1 of this
rule shall be allowed to hold regular services and to pay pastoral visits in private to
prisoners of his or her religion at proper times.
3.
Access to a qualified representative of any religion shall not be refused to any
prisoner. On the other hand, if any prisoner should object to a visit of any religious
representative, his or her attitude shall be fully respected.

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Rule 66
So far as practicable, every prisoner shall be allowed to satisfy the needs of his
or her religious life by attending the services provided in the prison and having in
his or her possession the books of religious observance and instruction of his or her
denomination.
Retention of prisoners’ property
Rule 67
1.
All money, valuables, clothing and other effects belonging to a prisoner which
he or she is not allowed to retain under the prison regulations shall on his or her
admission to the prison be placed in safe custody. An inventory thereof shall be
signed by the prisoner. Steps shall be taken to keep them in good condition.
2.
On the release of the prisoner, all such articles and money shall be returned to
him or her except in so far as he or she has been authorized to spend money or send
any such property out of the prison, or it has been found necessary on hygienic
grounds to destroy any article of clothing. The prisoner shall sign a receipt for the
articles and money returned to him or her.
3.
Any money or effects received for a prisoner from outside shall be treated in
the same way.
4.
If a prisoner brings in any drugs or medicine, the physician or other qualified
health-care professionals shall decide what use shall be made of them.
Notifications
Rule 68
Every prisoner shall have the right, and shall be given the ability and means, to
inform immediately his or her family, or any other person designated as a contact
person, about his or her imprisonment, about his or her transfer to another
institution and about any serious illness or injury. The sharing of prisoners’ personal
information shall be subject to domestic legislation.
Rule 69
In the event of a prisoner’s death, the prison director shall at once inform the
prisoner’s next of kin or emergency contact. Individuals designated by a prisoner to
receive his or her health information shall be notified by the director of the
prisoner’s serious illness, injury or transfer to a health institution. The explicit
request of a prisoner not to have his or her spouse or nearest relative notified in the
event of illness or injury shall be respected.
Rule 70
The prison administration shall inform a prisoner at once of the serious illness
or death of a near relative or any significant other. Whenever circumstances allow,
the prisoner should be authorized to go, either under escort or alone, to the bedside
of a near relative or significant other who is critically ill, or to attend the funeral of
a near relative or significant other.

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Investigations
Rule 71
1.
Notwithstanding the initiation of an internal investigation, the prison director
shall report, without delay, any custodial death, disappearance or serious injury to a
judicial or other competent authority that is independent of the prison administration
and mandated to conduct prompt, impartial and effective investigations into the
circumstances and causes of such cases. The prison administration shall fully
cooperate with that authority and ensure that all evidence is preserved.
2.
The obligation in paragraph 1 of this rule shall equally apply whenever there
are reasonable grounds to believe that an act of torture or other cruel, inhuman or
degrading treatment or punishment has been committed in prison, irrespective of
whether a formal complaint has been received.
3.
Whenever there are reasonable grounds to believe that an act referred to in
paragraph 2 of this rule has been committed, steps shall be taken immediately to
ensure that all potentially implicated persons have no involvement in the
investigation and no contact with the witnesses, the victim or the victim’s family.
Rule 72
The prison administration shall treat the body of a deceased prisoner with
respect and dignity. The body of a deceased prisoner should be returned to his or her
next of kin as soon as reasonably possible, at the latest upon completion of the
investigation. The prison administration shall facilitate a culturally appropriate
funeral if there is no other responsible party willing or able to do so and shall keep a
full record of the matter.
Removal of prisoners
Rule 73
1.
When prisoners are being removed to or from an institution, they shall be
exposed to public view as little as possible, and proper safeguards shall be adopted
to protect them from insult, curiosity and publicity in any form.
2.
The transport of prisoners in conveyances with inadequate ventilation or light,
or in any way which would subject them to unnecessary physical hardship, shall be
prohibited.
3.
The transport of prisoners shall be carried out at the expense of the prison
administration and equal conditions shall apply to all of them.
Institutional personnel
Rule 74
1.
The prison administration shall provide for the careful selection of every grade
of the personnel, since it is on their integrity, humanity, professional capacity and
personal suitability for the work that the proper administration of prisons depends.
2.
The prison administration shall constantly seek to awaken and maintain in the
minds both of the personnel and of the public the conviction that this work is a
social service of great importance, and to this end all appropriate means of
informing the public should be used.

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3.
To secure the foregoing ends, personnel shall be appointed on a full-time basis
as professional prison staff and have civil service status with security of tenure
subject only to good conduct, efficiency and physical fitness. Salaries shall be
adequate to attract and retain suitable men and women; employment benefits and
conditions of service shall be favourable in view of the exacting nature of the work.
Rule 75
1.
All prison staff shall possess an adequate standard of education and shall be
given the ability and means to carry out their duties in a professional manner.
2.
Before entering on duty, all prison staff shall be provided with training tailored
to their general and specific duties, which shall be reflective of contemporary
evidence-based best practice in penal sciences. Only those candidates who
successfully pass the theoretical and practical tests at the end of such training shall
be allowed to enter the prison service.
3.
The prison administration shall ensure the continuous provision of in service
training courses with a view to maintaining and improving the knowledge and
professional capacity of its personnel, after entering on duty and during their career.
Rule 76
1.
Training referred to in paragraph 2 of rule 75 shall include, at a minimum,
training on:
(a) Relevant national legislation, regulations and policies, as well as
applicable international and regional instruments, the provisions of which must guide
the work and interactions of prison staff with inmates;
(b) Rights and duties of prison staff in the exercise of their functions,
including respecting the human dignity of all prisoners and the prohibition of certain
conduct, in particular torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment;
(c) Security and safety, including the concept of dynamic security, the use of
force and instruments of restraint, and the management of violent offenders, with
due consideration of preventive and defusing techniques, such as negotiation and
mediation;
(d) First aid, the psychosocial needs of prisoners and the corresponding
dynamics in prison settings, as well as social care and assistance, including early
detection of mental health issues.
2.
Prison staff who are in charge of working with certain categories of prisoners,
or who are assigned other specialized functions, shall receive training that has a
corresponding focus.
Rule 77
All prison staff shall at all times so conduct themselves and perform their
duties as to influence the prisoners for good by their example and to command their
respect.
Rule 78
1.
So far as possible, prison staff shall include a sufficient number of specialists
such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, teachers and trade instructors.
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2.
The services of social workers, teachers and trade instructors shall be secured
on a permanent basis, without thereby excluding part-time or voluntary workers.
Rule 79
1.
The prison director should be adequately qualified for his or her task by
character, administrative ability, suitable training and experience.
2.
The prison director shall devote his or her entire working time to official
duties and shall not be appointed on a part-time basis. He or she shall reside on the
premises of the prison or in its immediate vicinity.
3.
When two or more prisons are under the authority of one director, he or she
shall visit each of them at frequent intervals. A responsible resident official shall be
in charge of each of these prisons.
Rule 80
1.
The prison director, his or her deputy, and the majority of other prison staff
shall be able to speak the language of the greatest number of prisoners, or a
language understood by the greatest number of them.
2.

Whenever necessary, the services of a competent interpreter shall be used.

Rule 81
1.
In a prison for both men and women, the part of the prison set aside for women
shall be under the authority of a responsible woman staff member who shall have
the custody of the keys of all that part of the prison.
2.
No male staff member shall enter the part of the prison set aside for women
unless accompanied by a woman staff member.
3.
Women prisoners shall be attended and supervised only by women staff
members. This does not, however, preclude male staff members, particularly doctors
and teachers, from carrying out their professional duties in prisons or parts of
prisons set aside for women.
Rule 82
1.
Prison staff shall not, in their relations with the prisoners, use force except in
self-defence or in cases of attempted escape, or active or passive physical resistance
to an order based on law or regulations. Prison staff who have recourse to force
must use no more than is strictly necessary and must report the incident immediately
to the prison director.
2.
Prison staff shall be given special physical training to enable them to restrain
aggressive prisoners.
3.
Except in special circumstances, prison staff performing duties which bring
them into direct contact with prisoners should not be armed. Furthermore, prison
staff should in no circumstances be provided with arms unless they have been
trained in their use.

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Internal and external inspections
Rule 83
1.
There shall be a twofold system for regular inspections of prisons and penal
services:
(a) Internal or administrative inspections conducted by the central prison
administration;
(b) External inspections conducted by a body independent of the prison
administration, which may include competent international or regional bodies.
2.
In both cases, the objective of the inspections shall be to ensure that prisons
are managed in accordance with existing laws, regulations, policies and procedures,
with a view to bringing about the objectives of penal and corrections services, and
that the rights of prisoners are protected.
Rule 84
1.

Inspectors shall have the authority:

(a) To access all information on the numbers of prisoners and places and
locations of detention, as well as all information relevant to the treatment of
prisoners, including their records and conditions of detention;
(b) To freely choose which prisons to visit, including by making
unannounced visits at their own initiative, and which prisoners to interview;
(c) To conduct private and fully confidential interviews with prisoners and
prison staff in the course of their visits;
(d) To make recommendations to the prison administration and other
competent authorities.
2.
External inspection teams shall be composed of qualified and experienced
inspectors appointed by a competent authority and shall encompass health-care
professionals. Due regard shall be given to balanced gender representation.
Rule 85
1.
Every inspection shall be followed by a written report to be submitted to the
competent authority. Due consideration shall be given to making the reports of
external inspections publicly available, excluding any personal data on prisoners
unless they have given their explicit consent.
2.
The prison administration or other competent authorities, as appropriate, shall
indicate, within a reasonable time, whether they will implement the recommendations
resulting from the external inspection.
II.

Rules applicable to special categories

A.

Prisoners under sentence

Guiding principles
Rule 86
The guiding principles hereafter are intended to show the spirit in which penal
institutions should be administered and the purposes at which they should aim, in
accordance with the declaration made under preliminary observation 1 of these rules.

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Rule 87
Before the completion of the sentence, it is desirable that the necessary steps
be taken to ensure for the prisoner a gradual return to life in society. This aim may
be achieved, depending on the case, by a pre-release regime organized in the same
prison or in another appropriate institution, or by release on trial under some kind of
supervision which must not be entrusted to the police but should be combined with
effective social aid.
Rule 88
1.
The treatment of prisoners should emphasize not their exclusion from the
community but their continuing part in it. Community agencies should therefore be
enlisted wherever possible to assist the prison staff in the task of social
rehabilitation of the prisoners.
2.
There should be in connection with every prison social workers charged with
the duty of maintaining and improving all desirable relations of a prisoner with his
or her family and with valuable social agencies. Steps should be taken to safeguard,
to the maximum extent compatible with the law and the sentence, the rights relating
to civil interests, social security rights and other social benefits of prisoners.
Rule 89
1.
The fulfilment of these principles requires individualization of treatment and
for this purpose a flexible system of classifying prisoners in groups. It is therefore
desirable that such groups should be distributed in separate prisons suitable for the
treatment of each group.
2.
These prisons do not need to provide the same degree of security for every
group. It is desirable to provide varying degrees of security according to the needs
of different groups. Open prisons, by the very fact that they provide no physical
security against escape but rely on the self-discipline of the inmates, provide the
conditions most favourable to the rehabilitation of carefully selected prisoners.
3.
It is desirable that the number of prisoners in closed prisons should not be so
large that the individualization of treatment is hindered. In some countries it is
considered that the population of such prisons should not exceed 500. In open
prisons the population should be as small as possible.
4.
On the other hand, it is undesirable to maintain prisons which are so small that
proper facilities cannot be provided.
Rule 90
The duty of society does not end with a prisoner’s release. There should,
therefore, be governmental or private agencies capable of lending the released
prisoner efficient aftercare directed towards the lessening of prejudice against him
or her and towards his or her social rehabilitation.
Treatment
Rule 91
The treatment of persons sentenced to imprisonment or a similar measure shall
have as its purpose, so far as the length of the sentence permits, to establish in them
the will to lead law-abiding and self-supporting lives after their release and to fit

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them to do so. The treatment shall be such as will encourage their self-respect and
develop their sense of responsibility.
Rule 92
1.
To these ends, all appropriate means shall be used, including religious care in
the countries where this is possible, education, vocational guidance and training,
social casework, employment counselling, physical development and strengthening
of moral character, in accordance with the individual needs of each prisoner, taking
account of his or her social and criminal history, physical and mental capacities and
aptitudes, personal temperament, the length of his or her sentence and prospects
after release.
2.
For every prisoner with a sentence of suitable length, the prison director shall
receive, as soon as possible after his or her admission, full reports on all the matters
referred to in paragraph 1 of this rule. Such reports shall always include a report by
the physician or other qualified health-care professionals on the physical and mental
condition of the prisoner.
3.
The reports and other relevant documents shall be placed in an individual file.
This file shall be kept up to date and classified in such a way that it can be consulted
by the responsible personnel whenever the need arises.
Classification and individualization
Rule 93
1.

The purposes of classification shall be:

(a) To separate from others those prisoners who, by reason of their criminal
records or characters, are likely to exercise a bad influence;
(b) To divide the prisoners into classes in order to facilitate their treatment
with a view to their social rehabilitation.
2.
So far as possible, separate prisons or separate sections of a prison shall be
used for the treatment of different classes of prisoners.
Rule 94
As soon as possible after admission and after a study of the personality of each
prisoner with a sentence of suitable length, a programme of treatment shall be
prepared for him or her in the light of the knowledge obtained about his or her
individual needs, capacities and dispositions.
Privileges
Rule 95
Systems of privileges appropriate for the different classes of prisoners and the
different methods of treatment shall be established at every prison, in order to
encourage good conduct, develop a sense of responsibility and secure the interest
and cooperation of prisoners in their treatment.

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Work
Rule 96
1.
Sentenced prisoners shall have the opportunity to work and/or to actively
participate in their rehabilitation, subject to a determination of physical and mental
fitness by a physician or other qualified health-care professionals.
2.
Sufficient work of a useful nature shall be provided to keep prisoners actively
employed for a normal working day.
Rule 97
1.

Prison labour must not be of an afflictive nature.

2.

Prisoners shall not be held in slavery or servitude.

3.
No prisoner shall be required to work for the personal or private benefit of any
prison staff.
Rule 98
1.
So far as possible the work provided shall be such as will maintain or increase
the prisoners’ ability to earn an honest living after release.
2.
Vocational training in useful trades shall be provided for prisoners able to
profit thereby and especially for young prisoners.
3.
Within the limits compatible with proper vocational selection and with the
requirements of institutional administration and discipline, prisoners shall be able to
choose the type of work they wish to perform.
Rule 99
1.
The organization and methods of work in prisons shall resemble as closely as
possible those of similar work outside of prisons, so as to prepare prisoners for the
conditions of normal occupational life.
2.
The interests of the prisoners and of their vocational training, however, must
not be subordinated to the purpose of making a financial profit from an industry in
the prison.
Rule 100
1.
Preferably, institutional industries and farms should be operated directly by the
prison administration and not by private contractors.
2.
Where prisoners are employed in work not controlled by the prison
administration, they shall always be under the supervision of prison staff. Unless the
work is for other departments of the government, the full normal wages for such
work shall be paid to the prison administration by the persons to whom the labour is
supplied, account being taken of the output of the prisoners.
Rule 101
1.
The precautions laid down to protect the safety and health of free workers
shall be equally observed in prisons.

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2.
Provision shall be made to indemnify prisoners against industrial injury,
including occupational disease, on terms not less favourable than those extended by
law to free workers.
Rule 102
1.
The maximum daily and weekly working hours of the prisoners shall be fixed
by law or by administrative regulation, taking into account local rules or custom in
regard to the employment of free workers.
2.
The hours so fixed shall leave one rest day a week and sufficient time for
education and other activities required as part of the treatment and rehabilitation of
prisoners.
Rule 103
1.

There shall be a system of equitable remuneration of the work of prisoners.

2.
Under the system, prisoners shall be allowed to spend at least a part of their
earnings on approved articles for their own use and to send a part of their earnings
to their family.
3.
The system should also provide that a part of the earnings should be set aside
by the prison administration so as to constitute a savings fund to be handed over to
the prisoner on his or her release.
Education and recreation
Rule 104
1.
Provision shall be made for the further education of all prisoners capable of
profiting thereby, including religious instruction in the countries where this is
possible. The education of illiterate prisoners and of young prisoners shall be
compulsory and special attention shall be paid to it by the prison administration.
2.
So far as practicable, the education of prisoners shall be integrated with the
educational system of the country so that after their release they may continue their
education without difficulty.
Rule 105
Recreational and cultural activities shall be provided in all prisons for the
benefit of the mental and physical health of prisoners.
Social relations and aftercare
Rule 106
Special attention shall be paid to the maintenance and improvement of such
relations between a prisoner and his or her family as are desirable in the best
interests of both.
Rule 107
From the beginning of a prisoner’s sentence, consideration shall be given to
his or her future after release and he or she shall be encouraged and provided
assistance to maintain or establish such relations with persons or agencies outside
the prison as may promote the prisoner’s rehabilitation and the best interests of his
or her family.

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Rule 108
1.
Services and agencies, governmental or otherwise, which assist released
prisoners in re-establishing themselves in society shall ensure, so far as is possible
and necessary, that released prisoners are provided with appropriate documents and
identification papers, have suitable homes and work to go to, are suitably and
adequately clothed having regard to the climate and season and have sufficient
means to reach their destination and maintain themselves in the period immediately
following their release.
2.
The approved representatives of such agencies shall have all necessary access
to the prison and to prisoners and shall be taken into consultation as to the future of
a prisoner from the beginning of his or her sentence.
3.
It is desirable that the activities of such agencies shall be centralized or
coordinated as far as possible in order to secure the best use of their efforts.
B.

Prisoners with mental disabilities and/or health conditions

Rule 109
1.
Persons who are found to be not criminally responsible, or who are later
diagnosed with severe mental disabilities and/or health conditions, for whom
staying in prison would mean an exacerbation of their condition, shall not be
detained in prisons, and arrangements shall be made to transfer them to mental
health facilities as soon as possible.
2.
If necessary, other prisoners with mental disabilities and/or health conditions
can be observed and treated in specialized facilities under the supervision of
qualified health-care professionals.
3.
The health-care service shall provide for the psychiatric treatment of all other
prisoners who are in need of such treatment.
Rule 110
It is desirable that steps should be taken, by arrangement with the appropriate
agencies, to ensure if necessary the continuation of psychiatric treatment after
release and the provision of social-psychiatric aftercare.
C.

Prisoners under arrest or awaiting trial

Rule 111
1.
Persons arrested or imprisoned by reason of a criminal charge against them,
who are detained either in police custody or in prison custody (jail) but have not yet
been tried and sentenced, will be referred to as “untried prisoners” hereinafter in
these rules.
2.

Unconvicted prisoners are presumed to be innocent and shall be treated as such.

3.
Without prejudice to legal rules for the protection of individual liberty or
prescribing the procedure to be observed in respect of untried prisoners, these
prisoners shall benefit from a special regime which is described in the following
rules in its essential requirements only.
Rule 112
1.

Untried prisoners shall be kept separate from convicted prisoners.
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2.
Young untried prisoners shall be kept separate from adults and shall in
principle be detained in separate institutions.
Rule 113
Untried prisoners shall sleep singly in separate rooms, with the reservation of
different local custom in respect of the climate.
Rule 114
Within the limits compatible with the good order of the institution, untried
prisoners may, if they so desire, have their food procured at their own expense from
the outside, either through the administration or through their family or friends.
Otherwise, the administration shall provide their food.
Rule 115
An untried prisoner shall be allowed to wear his or her own clothing if it is
clean and suitable. If he or she wears prison dress, it shall be different from that
supplied to convicted prisoners.
Rule 116
An untried prisoner shall always be offered the opportunity to work, but shall
not be required to work. If he or she chooses to work, he or she shall be paid for it.
Rule 117
An untried prisoner shall be allowed to procure at his or her own expense or at
the expense of a third party such books, newspapers, writing material and other
means of occupation as are compatible with the interests of the administration of
justice and the security and good order of the institution.
Rule 118
An untried prisoner shall be allowed to be visited and treated by his or her own
doctor or dentist if there are reasonable grounds for the application and he or she is
able to pay any expenses incurred.
Rule 119
1.
Every untried prisoner has the right to be promptly informed about the reasons
for his or her detention and about any charges against him or her.
2.
If an untried prisoner does not have a legal adviser of his or her own choice, he
or she shall be entitled to have a legal adviser assigned to him or her by a judicial or
other authority in all cases where the interests of justice so require and without
payment by the untried prisoner if he or she does not have sufficient means to pay.
Denial of access to a legal adviser shall be subject to independent review without
delay.
Rule 120
1.
The entitlements and modalities governing the access of an untried prisoner to
his or her legal adviser or legal aid provider for the purpose of his or her defence
shall be governed by the same principles as outlined in rule 61.

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2.
An untried prisoner shall, upon request, be provided with writing material for
the preparation of documents related to his or her defence, including confidential
instructions for his or her legal adviser or legal aid provider.
D.

Civil prisoners

Rule 121
In countries where the law permits imprisonment for debt, or by order of a
court under any other non-criminal process, persons so imprisoned shall not be
subjected to any greater restriction or severity than is necessary to ensure safe
custody and good order. Their treatment shall be not less favourable than that of
untried prisoners, with the reservation, however, that they may possibly be required
to work.
E.

Persons arrested or detained without charge

Rule 122
Without prejudice to the provisions of article 9 of the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights, 29 persons arrested or imprisoned without charge shall
be accorded the same protection as that accorded under part I and part II, section C,
of these rules. Relevant provisions of part II, section A, of these rules shall likewise
be applicable where their application may be conducive to the benefit of this special
group of persons in custody, provided that no measures shall be taken implying that
re-education or rehabilitation is in any way appropriate to persons not convicted of
any criminal offence.

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See resolution 2200 A (XXI), annex.

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