Human Rights in PrisonHuman Rights in Prison
IPRT believes in the principle of ‘imprisonment as punishment’: that it is the sentence of deprivation of liberty in itself that is the core punitive sanction. IPRT’s position is that conditions and treatment while in prison should not be used as additional punishment.
Accordingly, we believe that while restrictions on the freedom of movement are necessarily introduced while in prison, prisoners should retain all other rights to the greatest possible degree while serving their sentences.
In particular, IPRT believes that prisoners have the right to be treated with dignity and respect for their rights; they have the right to safety and security of the person, the right to be treated humanely and be free from torture, degrading or inhuman treatment or punishment.
In our work, the IPRT is committed to ensuring that the rights of prisoners are respected and that the Irish penal policy is based on the implementation of international human rights standards.
ICCPR Shadow Report 14th July 2008 
The Shadow Report to the Third Periodic Report under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is the product of a year’s research and consultation with the Irish NGO community by FLAC, ICCL and IPRT, endorsed by 15 other Irish NGOs. Read more
Report by Commissioner for Human Rights, November 2007. 30th April 2008
Report by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights on his visit to Ireland, November 2007. Read more
Committee for the Prevention of Torture: 2006 Visit 31st January 2008
A resource on the Committee's 2006 visit including IPRT submission. Read more
IPRT submission to Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Oct 2007. 8th October 2007 
Submission of the Irish Penal Reform Trust to the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights in preparation for the Commissioner’s November 2007 Visit to Ireland. Read more
Irish Penal Reform Trust submission to CPT, March 2006. 3rd March 2006
Submission of the Irish Penal Reform Trust to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) in preparation for the 2006 CPT visit to Ireland. Read more
Report by CPT on visit to Ireland (May 2002) and response from Government 18th September 2003
Report to the Government of Ireland on the visit to Ireland carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 20 to 28 May 2002, and the response by the Government of Ireland. Read more