The committee said that according to media reports over the past few months, there were about 20,000 Covid-19 cases reported in prisons and detention centres, including among prison staff.

In a statement, it urged the government to implement the Licensed Release of Prisoners (PBSL), a programme for prisoners whose sentence is less than a year.

Currently, there are about 11,000 inmates sentenced to less than a year in prison.

The committee said the government should also consider alternative punishments, including fines, community service and house arrest, for prison inmates detained or convicted for low-level and non-violent offences.

“Prison sentences would only lead to overcrowding and increase the risk of virus transmission in detention centres and prisons,” it said.

It also noted that detention of migrants would defeat the government’s efforts to achieve herd immunity against Covid-19, adding that herd immunity required the vaccination of 80% of the population, including the migrant community.