Title: Healthcare for prisoners in penitentiary establishments during COVID-19: a comparative study between national legislation and international covenants

Authors: Ibrahim Suleiman Al-Qatawneh; Aliaa Zakaria; Jamal Barafi

Addresses: Al Ain University, UAE ' Al Ain University, UAE ' Al Ain University, UAE

Abstract: This study examined the prisoner's right to healthcare in penal facilities during health crises in three Arabic countries, namely the UAE, Jordan, and Bahrain. The study is rare in that it also deals with prisoner healthcare during a pandemic. The study considers the key international rules and standards governing prisoner healthcare and its development over the past 60 years, regarding the obligations of states and the rights of the prisoner and the constitutions of the study countries, their national legislations, and the measures taken to confront COVID-19, to identify the extent of their adequacy and effectiveness and compatibility with key international standards. Despite numerous measures being taken to protect the health of prisoners and the enactment of international and national legislations, at the time of writing, the pandemic is still uncontrolled; therefore, the study finds that exceptional measures continue to be required.

Keywords: prisoner healthcare; infallibility of the body; health release; equality; fair treatment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPLAP.2024.135188

International Journal of Public Law and Policy, 2024 Vol.10 No.1, pp.1 - 16

Received: 15 Mar 2022
Accepted: 31 Mar 2022
Published online: 02 Dec 2023 *