Female inmates must use contraception when meeting their husbands

The Ministry of Public Security has just issued Circular 07/2018/TT-BCA stipulating the regulations on inmates' visits from relatives, sending and receiving letters, money, items, and telephone communications with their relatives.

According to the contents of the circular, relatives who are the wives (or husbands) of the inmates who are eligible to meet the inmates in a private room as stipulated in Clause 1, Article 46 of the Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments must have a marriage certificate; before the visit, they must declare their personal items and belongings for the responsible officer to verify. If the items are not allowed to be brought in, they must be stored in a locker at the visitation house.

Relatives must write a commitment to strictly comply with the rules of the visitation house, take responsibility for managing and supervising the inmate during the visit, ensuring the inmate does not violate laws or the rules of the detention facility, and simultaneously carry out measures to prevent infectious diseases.

The circular also clearly states that inmates meeting their spouses in a private room must commit to complying with current legal regulations on population and family planning. Female inmates must use contraceptive methods and have a commitment letter not to get pregnant to ensure their time of imprisonment.

Regarding visit duration, the circular stipulates that when an inmate meets relatives, the duration can be extended, but no more than 3 hours; meetings with spouses in a private room should not exceed 24 hours.

"The warden of the detention camp, the warden of the temporary detention camp, and the head of the criminal judgment execution agency at the district level police must organize for inmates to meet relatives on all days of the week, including weekends, holidays, and Tet," the circular states.

Additionally, in specific circumstances, the warden of the detention camp, the warden of the temporary detention camp, and the head of the criminal judgment execution agency at the district level police can consider and decide to allow the inmate to have meals with relatives. Organizing for inmates to have meals with relatives must be strictly inspected and controlled, ensuring absolute security for the detention facility, strictly managing the inmate, ensuring food safety and hygiene, and safety for the inmate's relatives.

This circular is effective from March 29, 2018, and replaces Circular 46/2011/TT-BCA.

Article 46, Law on Execution of Criminal Judgments: Regime of inmates meeting relatives and receiving gifts

1. Inmates are allowed to meet relatives once a month, each meeting not exceeding one hour. In special cases, the duration can be extended but not more than 3 hours. Inmates who are rewarded are allowed to meet relatives one more time within one month. Inmates who strictly comply with the regulations and rules of the detention camp or make meritorious contributions are allowed to meet their spouses in a private room for no more than 24 hours. In cases where a representative of an agency, organization, or another individual requests to meet the inmate, the warden of the detention camp, the warden of the temporary detention camp, and the head of the criminal judgment execution agency at the district level police shall review and resolve the matter.

The detention camp, temporary detention camp, and the criminal judgment execution agency at the district level police shall arrange places for inmates to meet their relatives, representatives of agencies, organizations, or other individuals.

Source: Labor Newspaper

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