Letters | Allowing prisoners to call loved ones during ban on visits is essential for their well-being
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Before the Covid-19 pandemic, remand prisoners in Hong Kong were allowed to receive one visit per day and convicted prisoners could receive visits twice a month. Foreign prisoners whose families lived overseas could phone them for up to 10 minutes once a month.
Maintaining such social connections is essential for the rehabilitation and well-being of prisoners. They are especially important for non-local prisoners, as it usually takes a month or longer for them to reach family members via snail mail.
We urge the government to allow prisoners who have tested negative for Covid-19 or have recovered from infection to take phone calls so they can reconnect with their families and friends, or liaise with advisers and consulates, as soon as possible.
Virtual visits via video are an important alternative for family and friends who cannot not visit loved ones in prison physically. At present, prisoners must apply for such calls, which their family members can only conduct at a counselling office in Mong Kok. This option is only available for relatives and friends who have difficulty visiting prisons due to age, pregnancy or disability.