Baranavichy human rights defender urges MPs to humanize penal legislation

Mrs. Anzhalika Kambalava, member of Baranavichy office of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, has sent an open letter to chairman of the House of Representatives’ Legislation Commission Mikalai Samaseika, together with MPs Sviatlana Pishch and Anatol Vankovich, suggesting humanization of the country’s penal legislation.

The letter says that Article 118 of the Criminal Correctional Code only allows close relatives to pass food parcels to prisoners in general security penal colonies, while other persons can only do that with permission from the prison administration. As a result, prisoners cannot often receive even a pack of tea from their friends.

“Court judgments restrict the defendant’s freedom, but they do not deny his or her right to proper nutrition and basic needs. Therefore, we suggest that the MPs amended the current legislation, so that prisoners could receive unlimited number of parcels from their families and friends,” says Mrs. Kambalava.