Before Reform, India’s Prison System Must First Recognise- Prisoners’ Rights Matter

This forms first part of the three-part series of writings on 'Safeguarding Prisoners' Rights in India'. In this first part, the writer challenges the common image of a prisoner as a bad citizen of the state. It zooms in on the myriad social issues like alienation, depression, economic insecurity, which prisoners face after their release. The writer highlights the contribution of media and cinema in creating a distorted polarising image of prisoners and ex-convicts. It concludes by arguing that recognition of prisoners as equal citizens would be necessary to improve prison policies.