The Celtic League has registered an urgent complaint with both the Council of Europe (CPT) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (see below) about conditions at the Isle of Man Prison.
The League point out that current practices may breach CPT standards and also Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
"Louise Arbour United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights UNOG-OHCHR 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
Dear High Commissioner Arbour,
I draw your attention to the attached complaint that the Celtic League has lodged with the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) concerning overcrowding and general conditions at the Isle of Man Prison.
The Celtic League has liaised for a number of years with the CPT and provided both written and oral evidence to them concerning prison facilities in Mann (Isle of Man).
You will see that whilst a new prison is due to be commissioned in the interim conditions at the elderly facility currently in use are now at breaking point.
We have written to the CPT because we are aware that practices such as a breakdown in the segregation of categories of prisoner breach the 'CPT Standards'.
I am also drawing this situation to your attention as I believe recent and current practices are a breach of Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and I would urge that the appropriate monitoring body (HRC) be asked to enquire into this situation and establish if a breach has occurred.
Yours sincerely,
J B Moffatt
Director of Information Celtic League
07/09/07 A copy of the letter to the CPT is set out below:
"For the attention:
The Executive Secretary Secretariat of the CPT Human Rights Building Council of Europe F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex France
Dear Sir,
We have periodically expressed concern to the CPT and provided evidence to your visiting delegations concerning the situation at the Isle of Man Prison.
The current facility used as a prison is obsolete and due to be replaced shortly by a new facility.
I wrote to the CPT some months ago to express a concern that due to overcrowding male prisoners have been housed in the female section of the old prison.
In addition to that omission in standards I now understand that Adult offenders are being housed in the young offenders section of the prison and that recreational areas have been utilised to house young prisoners.
We cannot accept a diminution in standards set by both the Council of Europe and the United Nations because of accommodation difficulties at the existing prison.
We believe that the situation at the Isle of Man prison in relation to accommodation over the past several months has been critical and urge your urgent intervention with the Isle of Man authorities.
I would remind the CPT that its first visit to the Isle of Man Prison (on which occasion it was critical of the facility and urged its replacement) was prompted by several serious situations in the facility including two suicides.
I would point out that the current situation at the prison does not meet acceptable standards for either inmates or staff.
Yours sincerely"
J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League
07/09/07
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