RIYADH —The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has visited all prisons under the Directorate General of Investigations as part of its continuous follow-up of the conditions of prisoners and detainees in the country. The total number of inmates in prisons under the directorate as of Monday was 3184, the prisons directorate said. Of them, 462 have already undergone trial, cases of 1215 are before the courts and 1277 are still being investigated by the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution. It said 1662 had been released between Dec. 27, 2011, and July 15, 2012. It pointed out that 119 suspects were currently benefitting from the programs of Prince Mohammed bin Naif Center for Counseling and Rehabilitation, while procedures for referring 216 others to the center were being completed. ?The HRC said it followed up all prison procedures, and living and health conditions of the detainees through frequent visits to the penitentiaries. During the visits HRC members heard complaints and grievances from the inmates. The HRC reassured relatives of the detainees that all prisons in the country were monitored by concerned agencies to guarantee the prisoners' rights. It said the commission had investigated frequent rumors about inmates being tortured inside prisons, but could not pinpoint a single case of torture so far. — SG/SPA
