Key Elements
All detainees have the right to send and receive mail and to make and receive telephone calls, except in very specific situations. Any limitations on this right should be done on legitimate grounds, in the least restrictive way and for the shortest time possible.
Telephone calls and correspondence are a particularly important means by which detainees that do not have family or friends that are able to visit can stay in contact with the outside world. These can include foreigners, and women and children detained in facilities far from their home. The ability to receive parcels can also be an important way for family and friends to assist in meeting detainee’s humanitarian needs.