Human Rights Commission: Neglecting Elderly Inmates with 'Cognitive Impairment' Constitutes Human Rights Violation

National Human Rights Commission building. Photo by Human Rights Commission

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The National Human Rights Commission has ruled that neglecting an elderly inmate suspected of cognitive impairment without providing appropriate medical treatment constitutes a human rights violation.

On the 23rd, the Human Rights Commission announced that it issued a "warning" to the prison officers who neglected their duty of care in managing the health and detention environment of the elderly inmate showing signs of suspected cognitive impairment at Prison A, and recommended conducting related job training in the future. Previously, the petitioner filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, stating that their 87-year-old father entered Prison A in good health, but due to the prison officers' negligence in medical treatment and detention management, symptoms of cognitive impairment developed, and he was subjected to bullying and assault by fellow inmates.

According to the Human Rights Commission's investigation, the victim was diagnosed with suspected cognitive impairment by a medical officer at Detention Center B before being transferred to the prison in November 2020. Although Prison A received these medical records, it was revealed that they housed the victim in the elderly dormitory without taking any special measures. Furthermore, despite the victim exhibiting symptoms of cognitive impairment such as not sleeping at night, no medical treatment was provided. It was also confirmed that the prison failed to recognize for ten days that other inmates in the same dormitory verbally abused and physically assaulted the victim.

Prison A claimed, "We did our best to provide medical treatment, including frequent check-ups and consultations with external psychiatric specialists," and stated that "strict disciplinary actions were taken against the fellow inmates who verbally abused and assaulted the victim." However, the Human Rights Commission pointed out, "It has been confirmed that the respondent prison neglected to provide appropriate psychiatric treatment and detention management according to the victim's health condition," and added, "This infringes upon the victim's right to health and bodily freedom guaranteed by the Constitution."

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