Investigating human rights
Therefore, the AOB was pleased to hear that this suggestion will be made to
the management during a meeting.
Lockable compartments
The AOB also welcomes the fact that some of the centralised refrigerators have
lockable compartments. This can prevent disputes over (alleged) theft of food.
No disposable gloves
One of the tasks of inmates is to clean their own cells. An inmate of the
Graz-Jakomini correctional institution complained that he had to clean the
washroom of a cell for multiple inmates without rubber gloves. He considered
it unhygienic to have to clean the toilet without gloves.
The AOB learned that correctional institutions do not supply inmates
with rubber gloves for cleaning inmate cells. They are only distributed to
maintenance workers who clean the common areas of the institutions. In
addition, gloves are not included in the assortment available at the institution’s
“supermarket”, so that individual inmates are unable to purchase rubber
gloves at their own expense.
Assortment expanded
This criticism was ultimately accepted by the Federal Ministry of Justice, and
disposable and/or household gloves were included in the assortment of goods
available at stores in correctional institutions nationwide. Now inmates can
protect their hands while cleaning inmate cells – but at their own expense.
Information about contagious diseases - Vienna Josefstadt
correctional institution
In the Vienna-Josefstadt correctional institution, the doors to several inmate
cells had placards on them stating “contagious disease”. Such information
violates the basic right to the protection of privacy and is impermissible. A
recommendation of the AOB in this regard was adopted.
76
Ostracism by fellow
inmates
The reason for the finding of maladministration and the recommendation was
the complaint of a detainee awaiting trial. He complained about the notice
on the door of his inmate cell stating that he has a contagious disease. This
caused difficulties with the other inmates.
Notice on cell door
As the AOB ascertained, these were clearly visible notices in the DIN A5 format,
which were attached to a cord on the door of the inmate cell. To prevent other
inmates from learning of the content of the notices as far as possible, the
notices were covered up or turned around during presentations during the
night shift.
Hazard warning
With respect to the content of the notices, the Federal Ministry of Justice justified
itself by stating that the text was encoded. An integrated prison administration
security code (letter code) was used. The intent was to give an officer opening
the inmate cell brief information about certain health problems of the person
in the cell, without making it explicit to the inmate. These security codes
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