OSCE Centre holds seminar on health-related rights of prisoners in Turkmenistan

ASHGABAT, 21 September 2012 – Representatives of penitentiary institutions from across Turkmenistan participated in an OSCE-supported course on health-related rights of prisoners in Ashgabat today.

The awareness-raising seminar brought together more than 25 participants, including prison officials and medical staff, as well as representatives from the Interior Ministry, General Prosecutor’s Office and teachers from the S.A. Niyazov Institute of the Interior Ministry.

Organized by the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in co-operation with the Interior Ministry and the Ministry’s S.A. Niyazov Institute,, the event aimed to enhance the participants’ understanding of national legislation and international human rights standards related to the health of prisoners.

“This seminar is part of the OSCE Centre’s support in promoting international human rights standards in the country’s penitentiary system,” said Ambassador Ivo Petrov, the Head of the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat. “We hope the course will give participants practical recommendations on safeguarding and promoting health-related rights of prisoners in line with international standards."

Two international experts discussed with the seminar participants such topics as the right of prisoners to have access to healthcare; international standards related to ensuring healthy conditions, cleanliness and hygiene in custody; specialist healthcare in penitentiary institutions; food and exercise in prisons as well as responsibilities and duties of healthcare personnel.

During the seminar, participants analysed case studies and received materials and publications related to the rights of prisoners, in particular inmates’ right to health.

The OSCE Centre in Ashgabat in co-operation with the Government of Turkmenistan has been implementing activities aimed at supporting the penitentiary system since 2009.