Human Rights Commission: "Protective Gear Must Be Temporarily Removed During Meals and Bathroom Use for Prison Inmates"

The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) has issued a recommendation that inmates in prisons should temporarily remove protective equipment when eating or using the restroom.

On the 24th, the NHRCK announced that it recommended the warden of Prison A to establish measures to prevent recurrence, such as job training for staff in charge, to ensure that inmates can temporarily remove protective equipment when necessary during meals or restroom use within correctional facilities, so as not to violate human dignity.

According to the NHRCK, complainant B filed a grievance claiming that their personal rights were violated when the assigned correctional officer made them use the restroom while wearing protective equipment. The prison responded that the incident occurred during a highly urgent group disturbance situation, and it was unavoidable as inmates including B were in an agitated state.

The NHRCK stated, "Bathing, eating, using the restroom, and receiving treatment are basic acts necessary for humans to live a dignified life," and added, "During the process of defecation while wearing protective equipment, the complainant could feel shame or humiliation, and issues such as soiling clothes or underwear could arise." Furthermore, it added, "Forcing the complainant to defecate without temporarily removing the protective equipment excessively restricted the dignity and personal rights as a human being derived from Article 10 of the Constitution."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.