UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners relevant also in Finland

The purpose of these Rules, which comprise 122 rules altogether, is to act according to their name as the standard minimum rules regarding the treatment of prisoners. The Rules are recommendations, which aim to ensure that regardless of the country, all prisoners are treated with dignity in accordance with the principles and practices approved collectively. Besides being necessary for the development of prison administrations in individual countries, the Rules are also necessary for the work of the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT), which was mandated by the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture.

The Rules are relevant also in Finland. The revised Rules emphasise, among other things, the obligation of society to support prisoners also upon release. In addition, the Rules state that prisoners should not be completely excluded from society during imprisonment. Instead, prison administrations should emphasise that prisoners are still part of society and, as far as possible, ask different sectors of society to assist the prison staff in the rehabilitation of prisoners.

The publication seminar of the Finnish translation was opened by Minister of Justice and Employment Jari Lindström. The presentation of Philipp Meissner from the Justice Section of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime handled the global significance of the Standard Minimum Rules.

Online version of the publication is available on the website of the Criminal Sanctions Agency.

Further information: Head of Communications Pilvi Isotalus, tel. +358 50 331 0067