Tartu prison says inmate dissatisfaction is not unusual

Tartu Prison is reviewing complaints by Swedish inmates about their living conditions, and its director says dissatisfaction with aspects of prison life is not unusual, ERR reports. Merle Ulst said the prison rental arrangement is new for all parties and requires adjustment by both the prison service and the inmates who have arrived in Estonia.

The inmates complained that staff do not speak enough English and that they were sent to Estonia against their will. They also objected to two televisions being placed side by side in their cell, beds without guard rails and a lack of privacy when washing.

Ulst said the Chancellor of Justice visited nearly two months ago, when most of the Swedish inmates had been at Tartu Prison for two days. Prison staff had already encountered most of the concerns raised during the visit in their daily work, she said.

Staff explain the rules and how the prison operates, listen to feedback and make practical adjustments where reasonable and possible, Ulst said. She added that not all the comforts people are used to outside prison can be expected, and that some restrictions are an inevitable part of prison life.

The prison’s responsibility is to provide humane conditions, uphold inmates’ rights and maintain a safe environment, Ulst said. Questions about daily living conditions and prison rules are broadly similar among Swedish and Estonian inmates, she added.