Families of Hong Kong inmates being held on remand fear that visits will soon become more difficult as prison authorities are believed to be mulling the relocation of detainees to a more remote facility on the outlying island of Lantau to manage the increased numbers in custody.

Prisoners are now being squeezed two to a cell at the high-security Stanley Prison, where many activists and politicians from the city’s pro-democracy camp are being held pending trial, according to a complaint received by the Society for Community Organization.

As temperatures start to rise, the more crowded conditions in the 70 square foot (6.5 square meter) cells will exacerbate the already-poor ventilation at the aging facility, said the nonprofit’s secretary, Richard Tsoi.

While Stanley Prison has housed two inmates in one cell in the past, it was always a temporary arrangement, for example, as part of anti-epidemic measures, Tsoi said, adding that the concern was now that it may become a more permanent feature of prison life.

Meanwhile, the Correctional Services Department has been moving more materials to Shek Pik Prison, according to a source, which may indicate that they are preparing to use the facility to house inmates on remand instead of only convicted prisoners.

Inmates on remand have the right to receive visitors every day, and if they are moved to a more remote facility, it may reduce the frequency of visits because of the added difficulty in reaching the site.

Shek Pik Prison in southern Lantau is a highly fortified facility primarily intended for adult male prisoners, and currently houses 426 inmates, according to information provided by the CSD.

Tsoi said he was worried about the changes in CSD practices: “Does it mean a lot of people will need to be held on remand in the future?”

He said he would write to CSD to follow up on these matters and seek assurances that prisoners would have a reasonable environment during their captivity.

CSD declined to confirm or deny the change in practices when contacted by Apple Daily, saying only that it would make appropriate detention arrangements in response to factors such as security, the operation of the facilities and changes in the prison population.

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