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Updated on 9 November 2020
All prisons shall prepare isolation cells and rooms for potential cases of infected inmates or for newly admitted inmates;
Prisons have stocks of food and other material to be able to function for at least a 30-day period without shipments of supplies;
General disinfection of common spaces is done more frequently. Disinfection soaps and alcohol based sanitizers
If they have symptoms of COVID-19, they shall be transferred to our prison hospital. The PS’ prison hospital prepared its infectious wing for such inmates.
The PS has its own infection-ambulance-vehicles. However, if infected prisoners were found among the current prison population, they would be moved (in cooperation with public health authorities) to regular public hospital treating COVID-19 patients.
If there is a suspicion of Covid-19 among prisoners, the tests are being carried out as soon as possible by a regional public sanitary body, not the prison service.
Procedures were agreed with Police regarding inmates handed over to the PS by the Police and vice versa. The authority which is handing over the prisoner is always responsible for their health state and for arranging medical care (the respective authority – Police or PS – will not accept individuals with body temperature over 38°C);
Newly admitted prisoners shall be put into quarantine for a 14-day period
Procedures were agreed with Police regarding inmates handed over to the PS by the Police and vice versa. The authority which is handing over the prisoner is always responsible for their health state and for arranging medical care (the respective authority – Police or PS – will not accept individuals with body temperature over 38°C);
Newly admitted prisoners shall be put into quarantine (isolation cells) for a 14-day period. If they show symptoms of COVID-19 during this time period, they shall be transferred to our prison hospital. The PS’s prison hospital prepared its infectious wing for such inmates. The PS has its own infection-ambulance vehicles.
However, if infected prisoners were found among the prison population already in prisons for longer time (not newcomers), they would be moved to regular public hospitals treating COVID-19 patients (in cooperation with public health authorities).
All prisoner-newcomers or those from transfers are to be examined by physicians. In these cases, and all other (regular ones) where direct physical contact between prisoner-doctor is not necessary, physicians must perform the examinations from behind partition glass (i.e. consultations).
Where the situation allows it, using Skype is also possible and supported (telemedicine). Preventive health-checks were postponed; same as non-urgent medical interventions. Doctors shall perform their duties in a minimal-number-of-staff-manner (doctor+nurse) to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19 and spreading it to other medical personnel.
Prisoner transfers were limited to a necessary minimum connected to security reasons only;
Prisoner transfers were limited to a necessary minimum related to security reasons only;
Procedures were agreed with Police regarding inmates handed over to the PS by the Police and vice versa. The authority which is handing over the prisoner is always responsible for their health state and for arranging medical care (the respective authority – Police or PS – will not accept individuals with body temperature over 37, 5°C);
The PS asked prosecuting authorities to thoroughly consider each individual case of their entry into prison and decide carefully if it is really needed to visit the prison. They are encouraged to use other means of communication instead (telephone calls / video calls).
Courts and judges were asked to use videoconference options (possible in all 35 Czech prions) as much as possible to prevent prisoner transfers to courts or judges coming into prisons;
PS limited entry of all other external workers (Probation and Mediation Service personnel, members of Churches and so on) in order to limit the traffic between prisons and the outer environment.
Prison-leaves (as a benefit to prisoners) have been cancelled for now.
On 14th March, all family-and-relatives visits to prisoners were cancelled for the time corresponding with the State of Emergence declared by the Czech Government. This does not affect prosecuting authorities;
Prisons do not allow entry for anyone whose body temperature is above 37, 5°C;
Personal visits in prisons are facilitated with a Plexiglas only and number of visiting persons is limited to 2 (one adults plus one child), normally 4 persons would be allowed. Time is not restricted – 3 hours per month are kept but they have to be used on one occasion, not divided into 2 or even 3 visits as it used to be before the pandemic. Of course, all the hygienic measures are applied – disinfection is available and compulsory to use at the prison entrances and in the meeting rooms, temperature is measured at prison entrances, no food or drinks are allowed during the visits, no physical contact, no good/items can be brought to inmates by the family members.
Prisoners were given one extra parcel they can receive (mainly food items), they can use money from other chapters of their pocket-money budget for making phone calls; and prisons are encouraged to use Skype video-visits as frequently as possible.
Compensation for prisoners:
The Prison Service of the Czech Republic hasn´t received any pettions concerning the restrictions related to C19 pandemic from Human Rights Organizations so far. However, we do receive from these organizations letters or inquiries related to the C19 issue but the communication focuses more on actual measures taken, possible necessary limitations of the rights of inmates and compensations provided. In some cases they deal with individual complaints of particular inmates.
Under current restrictions TV crews are generally not allowed to enter the prisons, however the final decision is upon the prison governor.
We don´t have centralized materials that are provided to inmates, staff members or to the public. The measures adopted by Prison Service management (HQ) are communicated by the prisons individually.
The Prison Service of the Czech Republic cannot limit prisoner rights on its own. The limitations currently applied (and applied during the Spring) were issued by the Government. The Czech Government decides about such limitations of prisoner rights on the grounds of active State of Emergency (in force in Spring and now again) or based on the Protection of Public Health Act (this was the case between the State(s) of Emergency in Spring and the current one).
During the State(s) of Emergency, prison visits (were) are cancelled altogether. In between (May-October), the visits were allowed with fewer visitors per inmate, however, the Protection of Public Health Act had to be amended in May in order to extend its competencies and allow wider range of restrictions that could be applied on its basis.
In the Czech Republic communication through mobile phones for inmates and their families hasn´t been introduced and currently there are not even any plans for this type of communication. We use prison phone call system and video visits.
The country is currently in a kind of lockdown, however with number of exceptions. Schools, restaurants, bars, cafes, sport and cultural facilities are closed. Most of the shops are closed – apart of shops selling food, chemist´s and phamacies. Hotels can provide accommodation for business travels only. People are recommended to leave homes only to go to work and shopping for food, leaving homes between 9pm and 5 am is forbidden unless you travel to work or to a hospital or back. The government urged state administration as well as private companies to apply home office for all staff members where it is possible.
Measures related to prison service:
Suspension of family visits since 23 October:
Compensations related:
Maximum use of video visits
Extended time per a phone call – up to 30 min
Increased amount for purchase in prison shop
Extended time outside
Extended activities of treatment programme
Obligatory face masks anytime the prisoners are outside cell or bedroom
Obligatory face masks for staff members any time they are outside their office
Indoor sport activities in groups of max 10 prisoners
Body temperature checks and hand disinfection on the entrances
Video conferences with courts, attorneys, prosecuting authorities and probation if possible
Limitation of entries of external workers (probation, NGOs, Churches,…)
Limitation of transfers of prisoners
Home office for all positions where possible (HQ+administration of prisons)
Online learning for new recruits
The Czech Prison Service (during the weekend 13-15 March) started to sew its own 100% cotton reusable face-masks. These are to be distributed to all employees in the 1st wave, the prison population in the 2nd wave and employees’ family members in the last phase. When the PS reaches its full production potential, it is estimated 40000 face-masks/month can be manufactured and supplied also to the state.
Hand in hand with courts limiting their agenda and operation, a specific branch of PS personnel (Judicial Guards – serving at courts / MoJ / state prosecutor’s offices as security officers) is considered to be used in regular prison operation to help prison officers;
All official international outgoing or incoming visits were cancelled, so far until April, but the current situation shows us it may be for the whole half-year (at least).
All prisons are equipped with a certain number of respirators and spare filters (FFP3 category), gloves, goggles and protective suits. The PS has been constantly working on purchasing, getting and supplying more protective material, however, we are limited firstly by the market and secondly by what the government can supply us;
All prisons are equipped with respirators (FFP3 category), gloves, goggles and protective suits;
Prison personnel serving at entry gates must wear the respirators. The respirators would also be worn by medical personnel in the case of infection among inmates.
Personnel must wear a face mask all the time when at work.
General disinfection of common spaces is done more frequently. Disinfection soaps are available.
The PS asked prosecuting authorities to thoroughly consider each individual case of their entry into prison and decide carefully if it is really needed to visit the prison. If it is, they must wear face masks;
Courts and judges were asked to use videoconference options (possible in all 35 Czech prions) as much as possible to prevent prisoner transfers to courts or judges coming into prisons;
PS limited entry of all other external workers (Probation and Mediation Service personnel, members of Churches and so on) in order to limit the traffic between prisons and the outer environment. Prison-leaves (as a benefit to prisoners) are cancelled for now.
Ministry of Justice communicates with courts – where it is possible, courts shall postpone commencement of custodial sentences;
For any further questions regarding the procedures in the state of emergency taken by the Prison Service of the Czech Republic please contact the following:
Tomáš Olšar (Head of External Relations Unit)
Prison Service of the Czech Republic
Jiří Kawan (External Relations Unit)
Prison Service of the Czech Republic
Regulations by the Prison Service of the Czech Republic in regards to the COVID-19 (18 March 2020)
Regulations by the Prison Service of the Czech republic in regards COVID-19 (8 April 2020)