Key Elements
Adequate ventilation and lighting, including access to daylight, are among the basic elements required to ensure the health and well-being of detainees. The windows must be large enough to enable detainees to read or work in natural light; they must allow the entry of fresh air, and adequate ventilation is required at all times. Windows fitted with bars or other security devices should not block the entry of a sufficient amount of air and light.
Quality air and adequate light contribute to the prevention of certain diseases, such as tuberculosis, and also get rid of carbon dioxide and bad odours. Such conditions contribute to respect for the dignity of detainees.
Detainees placed in solitary confinement and/or under a disciplinary regime should benefit from the same ventilation and lighting conditions as other detainees.