The court order, made last week but only revealed on Thursday, is a rare judgment in India recognising prisoners’ conjugal rights. The justices ordered Ali to return to prison on February 3 but said they would consider additional leave if required. The judgement ordered the government to consider allowing conjugal visits for other prisoners. An Indian court in 2015 ruled conjugal visits and artificial insemination are a fundamental right and said special facilities should be built for married inmates. Nearly 420,000 inmates were lodged in 1,400 Indian jails with a capacity of 366,000 prisoners, according to the last official figures from 2015.

Source: The Express Tribune January 25, 2018 12:00 UTC