Brenda Yufeh
28 February 2008
A delegation of human rights experts recently visited the Yaounde Central Prison.
«Prisons should not become hell on earth. Prisons should not be a place for torture. More than 50 percent of inmates in prisons are not supposed to be there! Do inmates receive fair trails!" These are some of the statements made by the President of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms, Dr Chemuta Divine Banda as he and a delegation of human rights made a visit at the Yaounde Central Prison at the Kondengui neighbourhood on Tuesday 26, February 2008. The visit was aimed at investigating if the human rights of inmates were being respected. During that visit, it was realised that although the human rights of certain inmates are being respected others complained that their rights were being trampled upon while a few said the new criminal procedure code was not applied in their case. This is an issue particularly raised by SDF militants detained since 2006.
Dr Chemuta Banda said they are out to make sure that arrest and detention of inmates are lawful, verify if trails are fair as well as investigate if the Kondengui prison is playing its role as a prison which is to correct citizens who have gone against the law. The visit was also an occasion for the human rights delegation to examine specific cases of inmates. That of the 22 detainees of the Social Democratic Party (SDF) came under spotlight. The detainees said since May 2006 that they were arrested, they have not been judged. "What ever our crime is, we want to be judged", they said. Another case the commission examined was that of a woman who has been refused permission to go out of the prison to see her sick child due to indiscipline. The President of the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms said investigations will be made into the various cases. Dr Chemuta Divine Banda however said that so far the progress is being made to ensure that the human right of inmates is being respected.
The current visit of human experts in prisons began last year, June 2007, when the commission of human rights made an investigative tour at the Yaounde Central Prison. During that visit the human rights delegation went to the children's and women quarters and sports and sanitary installations. While the delegation made their way out of the prison, inhabitants of the Kosovo quarter told them that if they do not come there, it means they have not visited Kondengui prison. Dr Chemuta Banda said it was a lamentable situation at Kosovo quarter given the inhuman conditions in which the inmate lives. Human rights experts say frequent visits will be made to prisons in a bid to ensure that the human rights of inmates are respected
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