Prisoners will get access to internal cable network, colour television and printed newspapers, a document on amendment and supplementary contents to Decree 90/2015 on prisoner management said.

Prisoners working in camps. They will get access to television and newspapers in the near future. — Photo baomoi.com

Minister of Public Security Tran Dai Quang has issued the document. 

According to Decree 90, a stockade holding less than 30 prisoners will be provided a colour television of more than 21 inches, a stockade holding more than 30 prisoners will be provided at least a 29inch colour television, while 30 prisoners will get one issue of Nhan Dan (People) newspaper. 

Each prisoner gets meals proportionate to 17kg rice, 0.7kg meat, 0.8kg fish and 0.5kg of sugar, besides 1kg of salt, 15kg of vegetables and 0.75 litre of fish sauce per month, the decree says. 

Prisoners doing hard work or exposed to toxic materials are provided an additional 15 per cent of the food. 

Female prisoners get an additional 20 to 30 per cent of meat and fish in meals and are offered baby care products. 

Children under the age of three, living in prison with a parent, are offered meals similar and proportionate to their parents' meals, and double the proportion of food on Children's Day and Full Moon Festival Day. 

The decree applies to prisoners being kept in prisons and camps managed by ministries of public security and defence and other organisations in charge of prison management. 

Prisons managed by the public security ministry have 2,000 to 5,000 prisoners and those managed by the defence ministry have less than 500 prisoners, the decree says.

VNS