On October 7, 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued revised standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners (the Mandela Rules). According to a press statement, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised the rules as a “great step forward” and highlighted “the critical importance of protecting the human rights of all persons deprived of their liberty as one of the most vulnerable groups of individuals who risk abuse and ill-treatment.” The rules include provisions relating to health care, an absolute prohibition on torture of prisoners, and strict limits to solitary confinement. They also address intrusive searches such as strip searches and require prompt and impartial investigations in cases of prisoner death or disappearances.