C HAPTER 4. A DMISSION AND RELEASE OBJECTIVE The objective of this chapter is to show that the requirement to treat prisoners and other people deprived of their liberty in a humane and dignified manner begins at the moment of admission to custody and continues until the moment of release. ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES Persons deprived of their liberty should be held in places which are officially recognized as places of custody. A detailed register shall be kept of every person deprived of liberty. All prisoners shall be provided promptly with written information about the regulations which apply to their treatment and about their rights and obligations. The families, legal representatives and, if appropriate, diplomatic missions of prisoners are to receive full information about the fact of their detention and where they are held. All prisoners shall be offered a proper medical examination and treatment as soon as possible after admission. These principles should be presented visually and remain on display throughout the session. BASIS IN INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS Exercise: Using the Compilation of Instruments, the trainees should work in pairs in order to discover the basis for each of these principles. The information should be reported back to the group. IMPLICATIONS The essential point is that people held in detention are, and remain, individuals with the same human rights as if they were free. Their detention must be declared legal and their movements through the system recorded. PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS These provide the information needed for trainees to take back with them to their workplace. They should be read through with the trainees. TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION A list of topics is provided in the Manual. Methodology: Divide the trainees into small groups and give each group the task of discussing the four topics. 45