The Chairman of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission(HRADC), Pravesh Sharma says they request the Office of the Attorney General to advise the Fiji Corrections Service to remove restrictions to be able to visit prisoners and remandees.
Sharma says the policy is impractical as they are often contacted by prisoners and remandees to visit them for investigation or inquiry which without an appointment cannot take place.
He says says Section 20(2) of the Corrections Service Act 2006 empowers Officers of the HRADC to visit prisons and prisoners to undertake investigations or inquiries under the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission Act 2009.
He further says the Fiji Corrections Service’s policy is contrary to the interests of justice and prisoners or remandees.
