[News] Haiti - women deplore prison conditions

[Anti-Imperialist News]

THE COLLECTIVE OF WIVES OF PRISONERS DENOUNCES 
THE ILL TREATMENT INFLICTED UPON PRISONERS AT THE NATIONAL PENITENTIARY

Port-au-Prince, December 21, 2005, 3:25 PM (AHP)- 
The CFP (Collective of Wives of Prisoners ) had 
harsh words Wednesday in condemnation of the 
ill-treatment they say has been inflicted upon 
prisoners at the National Penitentiary.

During a news conference, two members of the 
Collective, Willienne Alciné and Kermly Hernée, 
said that the prisoners are living in sub-human 
conditions in the country's largest detention facility.

Piled together like sardines, the prisoners do 
not have access to potable water or or health care, they deplored.

Ms. Alciné and Ms. Hernée also criticized the 
strike by judges at the Law courts while hundreds 
of prisoners languish behind bars waiting to be heard in court.

The Collective asked the interim authorities and 
particularly the Minister of Justice, Henri 
Dorléáns, to respect their commitments on the 
occasion of Christmas by bringing the detainees 
before a judge and releasing those against whom there are no charges.

The Collective announced that it will hold a 
sit-in on December 23 outside the Law Courts to 
compel the government to meet their demands.

Hundreds of detainees have been imprisoned for 
months at the National Penitentiary or at other 
detention facilities across the country without being heard by a judge.

Many of them, including (elected) former Prime 
Minister Yvon Neptune, (elected) former Interior 
Minister Jocelerme Privert, folk-singer and 
activist Annette Auguste and Father Gérard 
Jean-Juste (are considered by Amnesty 
International) & consider themselves to be 
prisoners of conscience, due to the fact, they 
say, that they are in prison because of their 
political opinions and their affiliation with 
LAVALAS, the party of President Aristide, who is 
currently in exile in South Africa.

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