SUVA (Sun/PINA) — The Fiji Human Rights Commission is investigating the circumstances surrounding the miscarriage of a remand prisoner who was denied pre-natal visits.
Commission Director Shaista Shameem on Saturday said her investigating team was treating the case as a matter of priority.
Shameem said the Prison’s Department has also been requested to conduct an investigation and report its findings to the Fiji Human Rights Commission.
The Sun earlier reported that Melania Tunidau suffered a miscarriage and was subsequently hospitalized about two weeks ago after being denied pre-natal visits. She is on remand and faces extradition to the United States. There she is wanted on charges relating to the misuse of more than $200,000 from her elderly employers.
Shameem said prison authorities were aware of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, Article 23 (1) which states: “In women’s” institutions there shall be special accommodation for all pre-natal and post-natal care and treatment.”
She added that prisoners have recently complained to the commission that visiting justice rules were not being complied with.
Officers of the Prisons Department are aware of all standards minimum rules after undergoing training on basic human rights, she said.
Meanwhile, the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement is also calling the case to be investigated.
The movement said the allegation was a violation of human rights and should not be tolerated.
“All prisoners should have access to medical treatment, why should a pregnant woman who is no threat to anyone be denied medical treatment?” said Shamima Ali, the center’s coordinator.
“Regardless of what crime she committed, this woman is just like any other person who would of course experience some trauma when imprisoned and this would in turn affect her pregnancy,” Ali said.
“Our society is always critical of women who abandon their children or who commit infanticide and yet when we have a woman who is about to have a child and under state custody, we cannot even guarantee her safety or that of her unborn child,” Ali said.
“We feel that if this is true a full investigation needs to take place and relevant measures to reprimand those who made the decision to deny her access to health care,” Ali said.
