Prisoners In Gorontalo Women's Prison Allowed Video Calls With Family For 15 Minutes

Photo via Antara

JAKARTA - The Gorontalo Women's Correctional Institution (Lapas) provides a video call facility for inmates who want to 'meet' with their families at the moment of Eid.

The Acting Head of the Gorontalo Women's Prison, Guyub Sudarmanto in Gorontalo, Friday 6 May, said the policy to meet face-to-face for visitors had not been implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That's why the Gorontalo Women's Prison has prepared portable computer facilities for inmates who want to stay in touch with their families by taking turns under the supervision of officers.

"Visits for the inmates cannot meet face-to-face, however, we provide facilities in the form of video calls," said Guyub.

Each inmate is given time ranging from 10 minutes to 15 minutes to use the facility. This video service is carried out in two times, namely morning and evening.

According to him, through the video call facility, the inmates can communicate and stay in touch, even though they have not been able to meet in person.

Meanwhile, one of the inmates, Hendritis Saleh, admitted that the video call facility provided by the prison really helps them to stay in touch.

"This really helps us to let go of our longing with family, earlier I contacted my mother and sister," he said.

He revealed, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he had not met his family because there was no permission for face-to-face visits in the context of preventing COVID-19.

Hendritis hopes that the pandemic will end soon, so that he can return to be visited in person and meet his family in prison.