You have the right to receive toiletries that are necessary for the maintenance of your personal hygiene in prison.
You should receive such toilet articles as are necessary for health and cleanliness, free of charge, and without your special request. You should receive the hygiene kit upon your arrival in prison. This kit may be renewed every month, upon request, by prisoners lacking the financial means to buy it on their own. The prison administration cannot forbid you from buying hygiene products in the prison shop.
You are entitled to receive additional hygiene items according to your gender – shaving products for men or sanitary towels and/or tampons for women.
What human rights violation may there be?
Prohibition against inhumane or degrading treatment
If you are unable to adequately maintain your hygiene due to a lack of toiletries, this may lead to a violation of the prohibition against inhumane or degrading treatment. However, the effect that such a situation leaves on your physical and mental condition would have to reach a certain minimum level of severity. Minor deviations will probably not lead to a violation.
example If your toothbrush is not changed for a month, it probably won’t lead to a violation of your rights. However, if you are forced to use the toilet without paper or other facilities for maintaining your hygiene, this will most probably violate your rights.
Read more about how to evaluate whether your rights have been violated.
How to complain
If you believe that your rights have been violated, you should complain to the prison administration. Read more about how to complain.