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Beds in corridors, prisoners sleeping on the floor - NGO
Prisoners’ rights NGO Mid-Dlam Ghad-Dawl deplore degrading conditions that a number of prisoners face at Corradino prisons.
20 February 2013, 12:00am
Miriam Dalli
Miriam Dalli
1 min read
The Corradino Correctional Facility.
Prisoners' rights NGO mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl has deplored what it called "degrading conditions" faced by certain prisoners at the Corradino Correctional Facility.
MDD director George Busuttil said that while the number of prisoners was on the rise, the facility did not offer enough space for all prisoners.
In one case, 16 inmates shared one toilet.
"In one section, 16 persons are housed in a dormitory which is just 48 metres square wide. They sleep on bunk beds, some even touching each other," Busuttil said.
Theses prisoners, he said, were given small cupboards without a lock.
"This is sparking heated arguments between the inmates when belongings go missing," he said, adding that the inmates are now storing their belongings in plastic bags, placed on top of each other in a hovel nearby.
The NGO also reported beds having been placed in corridors and prisoners sleeping on mattresses on the floor.
"These conditions are not only in breach of the prison's regulations but lead to the deprivation of human dignity. We urge the authorities to find an immediate solution to these problems," Busuttil said.
The director of the prisoners' rights NGO pointed out that when a person is sent to prison, "one would have lost his freedom, but definitely not his dignity".
Miriam Dalli joined MaltaToday.com.mt in 2010 becoming assistant editor f...
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Mr Busuttil may I remind you that these people should have thought about the consequences before they decided to commit a crime. I am not saying that they should be treated inhumane but prison is not meant to be a full service five star hotel. These prisoners committed a crime against society and now the TAX PAYER is providing a place for them to stay, a meal and of course full health benefits. Another thing, they do not have to pay for any rent or pay for any expensive utilities because the TAX PAYER pays for all that. If you really want to fight for the prisoner's rights why not argue the point with the Government that Malta needs to build a new prison facility? After all both leaders are not afraid to promise everything else. Maybe they can offer a tablet to each prisoner with the internet available of course so they do not get bored. Remember everything is possible. If you really want to fight for human rights, why not fight against leaving patients strapped down to a stretcher for a whole night in the hallways at Mater Dei overnight? Now there is a worthy cause to fight for.
