NEW DELHI: A prisoner’s right to dignity, as well as mental and emotional health, should be protected to enhance the chances of social re-integration post-release, the Delhi High Court has said as it directed all jails here to depute a counsellor or psychiatrist for the benefit of inmates throughout the year.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said the prison administration should be sensitised about issues of mental and emotional health of inmates, and asked the Delhi State Legal Services Authority to regularly hold workshops for mental health therapies for the convicts.
Long incarceration would deprive a convict of “positive emotions” and “satisfaction with life”, the judge said.
“While imprisonment restricts the right to liberty, it does not restrict other human rights of the convict. It is crucial to ensure that the right of prisoners to dignity and their mental and emotional health is protected so that chances of their social re-integration after their release from the prison are increased,” said the court in a recent order.
“In case a convict is found to be experiencing such mental and emotional health issues in prison, counselling or alternative therapies and meditation facilities be provided to the inmate.
“All the prisons in Delhi should have a counsellor/psychiatrist posted throughout the year who will be available to a convict who identifies or recognises his own emotional or mental health issue or it is identified by the concerned Superintendent Jail/Warden, who will produce such inmate for consultation/counselling before the psychiatrist,” it directed.
'Sensitise prison staff'
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma said that the prison administration should be sensitised about issues of the mental and emotional health of inmates, and asked the Delhi State Legal Services Authority to regularly hold workshops for mental health therapies for the convicts. Long incarceration would deprive a convict of “positive emotions” and “satisfaction with life”, the judge said.