Prosecutors Improve Detention Center Bathrooms to Fully Enclosed Type... Supreme Prosecutors' Office "For Human Rights Protection"

Supreme Prosecutors' Office / Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Daehyun] The prosecution is improving the restroom environment inside detention cells, which were partially open, to protect the human rights of arrestees and detainees.

On the 16th, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office announced that it will convert the restrooms inside detention cells at prosecution offices nationwide into fully enclosed facilities. Detention cells are places where arrestees and detainees awaiting prosecution investigations stay.

Previously, the Human Rights Supervision Office of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office inspected the operation status of detention cells at 59 prosecution offices nationwide and found that some detention cell restrooms had open structures, while others were enclosed but had restroom windows and entrance doors with opaque partitions that were lower than the standard height, which was insufficient for privacy protection and human rights.

Accordingly, the Supreme Prosecutors' Office issued a facility standard plan to all prosecution offices nationwide, instructing them to convert detention cell restrooms into fully enclosed types and to adjust the height of the partitions to meet the standards.

A representative from the Supreme Prosecutors' Office stated, "We will continuously inspect compliance with the facility standards through on-site inspections of human rights protection duties at local prosecution offices," and added, "We will make further efforts to create a human rights-friendly investigation environment at prosecution offices."