Implementation of the UN Minimum Standard Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners

Joint round table organized by the General Prosecutor's Office of Uzbekistan in partnership with UNODC Regional Office in Central Asia

With the memory of Nelson Mandela in mind, who himself spent 27 years of his life in prison, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners in December 2015 as ' the Nelson Mandela Rules'. The rules resulted from five years of inter-governmental consultations, and represent a landmark harmonization of the original version (1955) with international law and good prison management practices.

UNODC established  the 'Group of Friends of the Nelson Mandela Rules' to provide an informal and open-ended network of like-minded Member States who have joined forces to promote the practical application of the Nelson Mandela Rules, to facilitate expert consultations, and to support  prison reform initiatives.

On 28 July 2017 General Prosecutor's Office of Uzbekistan in partnership with UNODC Regional Office in Central Asia conducted the roundtable on implementation of the UN Minimum Standard Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners to promote humane conditions of imprisonment and to value the work of prison staff. The event gathered 70 participants from Tashkent and more than 100 participants from five regions of Uzbekistan through the video conferencing.  Discussion focused specifically on reduction of the scope of imprisonment,  prison conditions, rehabilitation programmes in prisons and post-release services aimed to ensure, as much as possible, that prisoners are willing and able to lead law-abiding lives upon release.

Representatives of the General Prosecutor's Office, National Centre on Human Rights and Ombudsman's Office reiterated Uzbekistan commitment in applying the Mandela Rules, implementation of penal reform, revision of relevant legislation, procedures, policies and practices in line with the Rules. Participants agreed that the revised Nelson Mandela Rules  provide the significant momentum to work together to preserve human dignity in prisons, thereby making a real difference for prisoners, prison staff and society at large.