Thank you to everyone who has supported this petition so far — we have now passed 8,000 signatures, and support continues to grow every day.

Independent oversight bodies — the Chief Ombudsman and the Office of the Inspectorate — have confirmed that the Prisoners of Extreme Risk Unit (PERU) and Persons of Extreme Risk Directorate (PERD) regimes in New Zealand prisons amount to cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. Their findings reveal:

Office of the Inspectorate (PERU/ERU Report, 2023): Prisoners are locked alone for extreme periods, with an average stay of 632 days and some exceeding 900 days.

Chief Ombudsman (OPCAT Inspections, 2022–2023): Prisoners are under constant surveillance, including in bathrooms and showers, stripping away dignity.
Chief Ombudsman (OPCAT Inspections): “Wellbeing checks” every 15 minutes, including at night, cause serious sleep deprivation and deteriorating mental health.

Office of the Inspectorate (PERU/ERU Report): There are no meaningful rehabilitation programmes or clear exit pathways, leaving prisoners trapped in hopeless limbo.

These practices clearly breach New Zealand’s international and domestic human rights obligations, including:

The United Nations Mandela Rules, which prohibit solitary confinement beyond 15 consecutive days and require rehabilitation and humane treatment.
The Convention Against Torture, which prohibits cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
The New Zealand Bill of Rights Act, which protects dignity and freedom from inhumane treatment.

Despite these damning findings and thousands of people demanding change, Minister of Corrections Mark Mitchell has not responded to our petition or our letters. The silence from the Government is unacceptable and only deepens public concern.

We will continue to demand that the Minister immediately review and end these regimes. The Government cannot ignore this issue forever — not while the evidence is clear and public support for reform grows stronger every day.

Your support is vital. Please keep sharing this petition widely so we can hold the Government accountable and push for urgent reform.

🔗 https://www.change.org/Stoptheabusenow

Together, we can show that New Zealanders — and the international community — will not accept cruelty and degradation in our prison system.