Prisoners punished for speaking Welsh

Responding to comments from ex-prisoners that they were prevented from speaking Welsh by prison officers during their time in Berwyn prison Siân Howys, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Deputy Chair with responsibility for Campaigns said:

"Despite these being claims for periods up until 2022, there is nothing to suggest that the situation has changed. Prisoners are in a vulnerable position, if officers threaten to punish prisoners for speaking Welsh they will hardly feel able to make a complaint about it.
"The Welsh Language Commissioner can investigate concerns, and we call on her to do so, without waiting for an official complaint. She has said that she has a meeting with prison officers next month, the role of the Welsh Language Commissioner is to ensure that no one is prevented from speaking Welsh and to ensure that the Welsh Language Measure is implemented effectively.

"The fact that the Prisons and Probation Service has a voluntary language scheme under the old Language Act 1993 regime is a fundamental weakness. Cymdeithas yr Iaith is calling for the prison service and other bodies such as the Passport Office, DVLA, the Department of Work and Pensions, which all currently have a language scheme, have Welsh Language Standards placed on them.
"Last week there was a disgraceful example of devaluing the Welsh language by the General Register Office in the context of death certificates. We understand that this Office comes under the Passport Office, and they should certainly come under the Standards as well.

"Cymdeithas yr Iaith is calling on the Secretary of State for Wales and the Welsh Government to ensure that they place Welsh Language Standards on all Crown bodies. The Welsh Language Standards set statutory expectations on bodies and the Welsh Language Commissioner can take action and punish bodies that don't comply with them. The Welsh Government has been very slow to give the Welsh Language Commissioner the right to set these Standards on bodies, and this is the latest example among many to show that this is taking away the freedom to use the Welsh language."