Belmarsh Prison: - the prisoners' report

Squat Searches

Our solicitors have also been taking legal action to overturn the present Belmarsh SSU policy of discretionary squat searches on top of the mandatory full-strip search procedure: (a prisoner is forced to bend over or squat after removing trousers and underwear). The prisoners comply with this search procedure under protest and when a squat search is demanded the prisoner requests the presence of a doctor.