The Interamerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has published a press release noting that the situation of persons deprived of liberty in the Americas is a major cause of concern in the context of the pandemic because they are particularly at risk of infection and lack access to adequate medical care to treat conditions linked to COVID-19.  

Based on the available data, an estimated 138,522 inmates had tested positive for COVID-19 in prisons around the region and at least 1,504 inmates had died of complications linked to the virus by mid-August. The IACHR warns that actual figures could be significantly higher, given the failure to gather and report accurate data concerning the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the various prison systems. 

The Commission stresses States’ special obligation to take immediate and urgent action to protect the lives, health, and integrity of persons in their custody, and urges States to take action to reduce prison populations.

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