Corruption erodes the security and safety of facilities, prisoners and staff, and may result in the denial of basic needs, such as hygiene items, food, water, medical care and access to visits from legal representation or relatives. Corruption in places of detention may not only create conditions conducive to VERLT but may also lead to a higher risk of torture or 59 other ill-treatment. Moreover, corruption may allow for VERLT to spread, as it may give recruiters or leaders the opportunity to spread their message and recruit followers, while corrupt staff “turn a blind eye” to the situation. In some cases, prison staff may even be 60 complicit in targeting specific prisoners for recruitment. Lack of safety and security in prisons: Unsafe and insecure prison environments constitute fertile grounds for VERLT to spread. They provide more time, space and opportunities for (suspected) violent extremist prisoners to operate freely and/or undetected, for leaders to share their message and for recruiters to target potential new members.61 Some prisoners may seek the protection of (suspected) violent extremist prisoners to ensure their security and satisfy basic needs that the correctional facility fails to provide. Radicalization to terrorism or violence in such cases “may reflect an underlying struggle to survive in prison 62 rather than sincere ideological commitment”. Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and poor conditions of detention: General living conditions that all prisoners are entitled to equally apply to (suspected) violent extremist prisoners.63 It is widely recognized that torture or other ill-treatment, including prolonged solitary confinement, poor conditions of detention, overcrowding, lack of fulfilment of basic needs, lack of access to healthcare, heightened security measures or discriminatory 64 practices are all factors, among others, that may contribute to VERLT. Such treatment and conditions are likely to cause grievances, frustration, anger and resentment among prisoners that violent extremist narratives can strategically exploit and may make 65 some more vulnerable to recruitment for VERLT. In the absence of effective complaint mechanisms or access to detention monitors, grievances about punitive approaches or poor conditions of detention that are perceived as unfair or discriminatory may remain 66 unresolved, and perpetrators of torture or other ill-treatment may not be held to account. 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 22 For a detailed analysis of the interlinkages between torture and other ill-treatment and corruption, see: Report of the Special Rapporteur, Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or Punishment, A/HRC/40/59, 16 January 2019. International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ), “Prison Management Recommendations to Counter and Address Prison Radicalization”, Recommendation 11; ICSR, “Prisons and Terrorism – Radicalization and Deradicalization in 15 Countries”, 2010, p. 30. IIJ, “Prison Management Recommendations to Counter and Address Prison Radicalization”, ibid., Recommendation 2; ICSR, “Prisons and Terrorism – Radicalization and Deradicalization in 15 Countries”, ibid. 1, pp. 29-30. UNODC, Handbook on the Management of Violent Extremist Prisoners and the Prevention of Radicalization to Violence in Prisons, op. cit., note 2, p. 112. UN Nelson Mandela Rule 42: “General living conditions addressed in these rules, including those related to light, ventilation, temperature, sanitation, nutrition, drinking water, access to open air and physical exercise, personal hygiene, healthcare and adequate personal space, shall apply to all prisoners without exception”, UN Nelson Mandela Rules, op. cit., note 13. Penal Reform International (PRI), “Preventing Radicalization in Prisons: Developing a Coordinated and Effective Approach”, 2016, p. 3. Council of Europe, “Council of Europe Handbook”, op. cit., note 2, para. 19. See section 2.2 on request and complaint mechanisms: A functioning complaints system ensures that perpetrators of torture and other ill-treatment are identified and held to account. It can also prevent such issues recurring and protect prison staff from wrongful accusations. See ODIHR & PRI, Guidance Document on the Nelson Mandela Rules, op. cit., note 10, Chapter 1, para 135.