On 7 October, the United Nations launched the Revised Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, dubbed the ‘Nelson Mandela Rules,’ which Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed as "a great step forward" but also drew attention to three areas that could be strengthened from a human rights perspective.

"The Secretary-General welcomes the revised rules and progress made," said Ivan Šimonović, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, who represented the UN chief at the high-level presentation at UN Headquarters of the revised Rules, named after the late South African President who spent years in prison. South Africa also chaired the Expert group in the revision of the Standard Minimum Rules.

"He notes the critical importance of protecting the human rights of all persons deprived of their liberty as one of the most vulnerable groups of individuals who risk abuse and ill-treatment," Mr. Šimonović told those attending the event convened by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Government of South Africa.

The senior human rights official highlighted as "important advances" the right to health of persons deprived of their liberty so that prisoners enjoy the same standard of health care as in the community and for continuity of treatment and care.

"This provision is very important because the risk of transmission of HIV and other infectious diseases is much higher in prisons than in the general population," he said, adding that the new health rules also provide an absolute prohibition on torture and ill-treatment of prisoners.

Adapted from the UN website