THE NELSON MANDELA RULES
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Rule 61
1. Prisoners shall be provided with adequate opportunity, time and
facilities to be visited by and to communicate and consult with a legal adviser
of their own choice or a legal aid provider, without delay, interception or
censorship and in full confidentiality, on any legal matter, in conformity with
applicable domestic law. Consultations may be within sight, but not within
hearing, of prison staff.
2. In cases in which prisoners do not speak the local language, the prison
administration shall facilitate access to the services of an independent
competent interpreter.
3. Prisoners should have access to effective legal aid.
Rule 62
1. Prisoners who are foreign nationals shall be allowed reasonable
facilities to communicate with the diplomatic and consular representatives
of the State to which they belong.
2. Prisoners who are nationals of States without diplomatic or consular
representation in the country and refugees or stateless persons shall be
allowed similar facilities to communicate with the diplomatic representative
of the State which takes charge of their interests or any national or
international authority whose task it is to protect such persons.
Rule 63
Prisoners shall be kept informed regularly of the more important items of
news by the reading of newspapers, periodicals or special institutional
publications, by hearing wireless transmissions, by lectures or by any
similar means as authorized or controlled by the prison administration.
Books
Rule 64
Every prison shall have a library for the use of all categories of prisoners,
adequately stocked with both recreational and instructional books, and
prisoners shall be encouraged to make full use of it.
Religion
Rule 65
1. If the prison contains a sufficient number of prisoners of the same
religion, a qualified representative of that religion shall be appointed or