Amnesty International and Justice Project Pakistan (JPP) on Tuesday issued a joint statement and urged authorities to ensure necessary measures are taken to protect prisoners amid COVID-19 outbreak.

Amnesty issued the statement after an inmate at Camp Jail Lahore has tested positive for COVID-19 who was arrested in Italy, one of the worst-hit countries by the disease. After his deportation to Pakistan, he was taken to different barracks of the prison that houses at least 3,500 inmates.

There are 114 jails in Pakistan with 77,275 prisoners against the capacity of 57,742 inmates. A vast majority of the prison population is of under trial prisoners who have not been convicted of a crime.

In Punjab, there are 2,100 prisoners with physical ailments, 2400 prisoners with contagious diseases like HIV, TB and Hepatitis, 600 prisoners with mental illness and 66 prisoners with disabilities.

Although he has now been shifted to a medical facility, it is unclear how many other prisoners and prison staff members were inadvertently exposed to the virus.

Amnesty International urged Pakistan authorities to consider whether the outbreak qualifies certain prisoners for parole or early release, taking into account their individual circumstances and the risk posed to vulnerable groups such as the elderly or those in poor health.

In a statement issued, Amnesty International said efforts should be made to release older detainees, who no longer pose a threat to public safety, and there should be a presumption of release for people charged with a criminal offence who are awaiting trial.

The provincial governments of Sindh and Punjab have announced measures such as early release and testing in prisons. These commitments must be followed through and replicated nationwide. Not doing so could place the health of more than 77,000 prisoners in Pakistan at greater risk, amnesty said.

“Prisons in Pakistan face massive overcrowding, overruling the possibility of social distancing, with the potential for a large outbreak. Hygiene supplies remain limited as does healthcare. Pre-trial detainees are taken to courts, where they may be exposed to the virus. Pakistani authorities should seriously consider reducing the prison population,” said Rimmel Mohydin, South Asia Campaigner at Amnesty International.

Pakistan’s prisons suffer from severe overcrowding. Currently, prisons are at 130 percent occupation rate, with poor ventilation, insufficient beds and limited access to medicines, hygiene and sanitary products. While everyone remains at risk of contracting COVID-19, such detention conditions all but guarantee the spread of the virus.

There are 108 vacant posts of medical officers in Pakistan’s prisons, 58 vacant posts of psychologists in Pakistan’s prisons and 10 per cent Punjab do not have ambulances.