Legal awareness for women prisoners
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 31 2011: A legal awareness programme for women prisoners now languishing in Manipur Central Jail was organised today under the aegis of the Manipur State Legal Services Authority.

The legal awareness held within the premises of Manipur Central Jail, Manipur State Legal Services Authority member secretary Ph Surendro, CJM Imphal East Ronald Keishing, CJM Thoubal RK Memcha, CJM Imphal West S Imocha spoke in detail about the rights and duties of women prisoners.

The programme was organised in line with the instruction of the National Legal Services Authority to create legal awareness and also provide free legal aid.

Speaking at the programme, CJM Imphal East Ronald Keishing said that prisoners are human beings and they should get respect and dignity just like all other man.

All under trial prisoners should be produced before courts in time.

While taking a woman prisoner to court, the police team should include women police and the prisoner should not be handcuffed.

All prisoners should be given adequate food and they should be given the opportunity to meet visitors as well the facility to read newspapers.

They should also be given medical care and treatment facility.

In case the prisoner happens to be a pregnant women, she should be given pre-natal as well as post-natal care.

In addition, she should be allowed to deliver her baby in a Government hospital.

In case the prisoner has a kid not older than six years, the mother and her child should be allowed to stay together in jail.

On the other hand, all prisoners should follow the laws and statutes of the State, Ronald said.

CJM Imphal West S Imocha said that if the under trial prisoners sincerely repented their criminal activities and if they can convinced Chief Judicial Magistrates they would not commit such crimes in future, they may not be put in jail any longer.

Ph Surendro said that women, women prisoners, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people would be given free legal aid under the initiative of the Manipur Legal Services Authority.

Moreover, man whose annual income is less than Rs 50,000 would also be given free legal aid.

But they should first submit an application to the Legal Services Authority.

After that, they would not have to pay fees for advocates who would fight their cases.

Surendro further informed that legal counsellors would be sent to jails twice a month.

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