The National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) stated that restraining a detention center inmate with three types of protective gear, including metal restraints, for over nine hours constitutes an excessive measure that violates personal liberty and human dignity.
According to the NHRCK, Inmate A, who was detained at a detention center on charges of special assault, disobeyed instructions to wear government-issued prison clothing and assaulted a correction officer and another inmate.
In response, correction officers subdued Inmate A and simultaneously used three protective devices: metal restraints, a head guard, and ankle restraints. Inmate A filed a complaint with the NHRCK in August of last year, claiming that he suffered physical pain and coercion during the process.
Upon reviewing the detention center's protective equipment usage review committee and CCTV footage, it was confirmed that Inmate A was restrained with all three protective devices for a total of 9 hours and 25 minutes, excluding temporary release times for meals and using the restroom.
The NHRCK acknowledged that the use of protective equipment was necessary at the time, given that Inmate A posed a significant risk of causing injury to correction officers and other inmates.
However, the commission judged that using three types of protective gear simultaneously infringed upon Inmate A's personal liberty and human dignity.
The NHRCK recommended that the head of the detention center carefully evaluate the necessity and proportionality when using protective equipment on inmates and prevent the excessive use of physical force.
Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Lee Yu-jin | Graphics by Lee Su-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
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