Protecting aged prisoners during the Covid-19 pandemic

In the context of decongesting prisons during the Covid-19 pandemic, Medha Patkar has petitioned the Supreme Court to direct States/Union Territories to establish a uniform process for releasing prisoners above 70 years. Patkar’s petition states that prisons have not considered categorizing prisoners based on their susceptibility to the Covid-19 infection and their need to be released on an urgent basis, and that the aged/elderly are most vulnerable to the disease.

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