The Bangkok Rules
12
7.
Safety and security
[Supplements rules 27 to 36 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners]
(a) Searches
Rule 19
Effective measures shall be taken to ensure that women prisoners’ dignity and respect are protected during
personal searches, which shall only be carried out by women staff who have been properly trained in appropriate
searching methods and in accordance with established procedures.
Rule 20
Alternative screening methods, such as scans, shall be developed to replace strip searches and invasive body
searches, in order to avoid the harmful psychological and possible physical impact of invasive body searches.
Rule 21
Prison staff shall demonstrate competence, professionalism and sensitivity and shall preserve respect and
dignity when searching both children in prison with their mother and children visiting prisoners.
(b) Discipline and punishment
[Supplements rules 27 to 32 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners]
Rule 22
Punishment by close confinement or disciplinary segregation shall not be applied to pregnant women, women
with infants and breastfeeding mothers in prison.
Rule 23
Disciplinary sanctions for women prisoners shall not include a prohibition of family contact, especially with
children.
(c) Instruments of restraint
[Supplements rules 33 and 34 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners]
Rule 24
Instruments of restraint shall never be used on women during labour, during birth and immediately after birth.
(d) Information to and complaints by prisoners; inspections
[Supplements rules 35 and 36 and, with regard to inspection, rule 55 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners]
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents