Tartu Prison Director Merle Ulst acknowledged that renting out prison space is a new situation for all parties involved, requiring both the Estonian Prison Service and the inmates brought to Estonia to adapt.
The inmates complained that prison officials did not speak English well enough and that they had been sent to Estonia against their will. Among other things, the inmates were unhappy that the two televisions in their cells were positioned side by side, that the beds lacked guardrails and that they had no privacy when washing.
Ulst noted that the visit by the Office of the Chancellor of Justice took place nearly two months ago when the vast majority of Swedish inmates had been at Tartu Prison for just two days. Most of the issues and concerns raised at the time had already come up in the prison staff's daily work.
"Addressing these issues is part of the prison's day-to-day work. We explain the rules and procedures to inmates, listen to their feedback and make adjustments based on practical experience where reasonable and possible. When new procedures are introduced, it is only natural that some arrangements need to be refined and improved based on initial experience," Ulst said.
She emphasized that inmates cannot expect all the comforts they are accustomed to outside prison and that certain restrictions are an inevitable part of prison life.
"Our task is to ensure humane conditions, respect for inmates' rights and a safe environment for everyone in our custody. These principles also guide us when making changes. We take legitimate needs into account, but not every request warrants changing existing procedures," Ulst said.
The Tartu Prison director noted that the issues raised by Swedish and Estonian inmates regarding everyday living conditions, restrictions and prison procedures are fairly similar.
"Dissatisfaction with certain aspects of prison life is not unusual and addressing such concerns is part of the prison's daily work. Regardless of an inmate's background, we follow the same principles: We ensure their rights and humane conditions while maintaining clear boundaries necessary for the prison to function," she said.
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