As part of the Prison Monitoring Program in Haiti, a delegation of the Citizens' Initiative for Human Rights (ICDH) visited the National Penitentiary to observe the detention conditions in which prisoners live.

According to information gathered by the ICDH, 4,132 people were in custody at the time of their visit, 3,588 (87.02%) of whom were in prolonged pre-trial detention.

Inmates were piled up to 80 in a single cell, exposed to all sorts of contagious diseases. In addition, about 100 detainees in the National Penitentiary were suffering from mental disorders without receiving care and psychiatric care.

At the end of the visit, the ICDH delegation recommends to the authorities concerned :

• To put in place and urgently a concrete program to combat prolonged pre-trial detention ;

• Provide more budgetary resources to prison officials in order to improve prisoners' detention conditions (health, food, etc...) ;

• Develop psychosocial activities to maintain a psychological and social balance among inmates ;

• Develop professional activities in order to promote socio-economic reintegration after leaving prison ;

• REnforce the medical center by increasing health personnel (doctors, nurses...) and by providing more drugs corresponding to the different pathologies identified.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20317-haiti-justice-gustavo-gallon-harshly-judge-the-haitian-prison-system.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20157-haiti-flash-minustah-calls-on-authorities-to-take-urgent-measures.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-13410-haiti-justice-haitian-penitentiary-system-welcome-to-hell.html

IH/ iciHaiti