Following a bid of riots which person near much than 280 inmates dormant and hundreds injured in Ecuadorian prisons this year, UN independent quality rights experts on Monday called for urgent government action to address the issue.
In a associated statement, the experts said they were “appalled and gravely concerned” by repeated riots that person resulted successful the decease of truthful galore prisoners, and the “clear risk” of further incidents.
The connection was signed by Morris Tidball-Binz, Special Rapporteur connected extrajudicial, summary oregon arbitrary executions, and Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur connected torture and different cruel, inhuman oregon degrading attraction oregon punishment.
Ongoing insecurity
During the astir caller outbreak of violence, connected 12 November, astatine slightest 62 inmates were killed and 44 were injured astatine the Centre of Deprivation of Liberty Guayas Nr. 1 (El Litoral Penitentiary) adjacent the coastal metropolis of Guayaquil. This was the 4th deadly riot astatine the situation this year.
The experts received accusation about specific concerns, including severe overcrowding, by UN Photo
A fewer days earlier, 4 inmates were changeable and killed during clashes wrong the prison block.
In September, El Litoral Penitentiary saw the deadliest riot ever recorded in the country, with 118 inmates killed and much than 80 injured.
In July, 8 radical had been killed during an uprising astatine the aforesaid situation and 13 successful another facility. Nearly 80 different inmates were killed successful incidents earlier in the year.
Investigations
For the UN experts, “prompt, autarkic and impartial investigations indispensable beryllium carried retired to found the circumstances of each of these deaths and, successful lawsuit of violations, prosecute those responsible.”
They besides asked for “urgent and effectual measures” to stop “further carnage.”
The experts received accusation about specific concerns, including severe overcrowding, largely arsenic a effect of a highly punitive “war connected drugs” policy.
They also got information about budget cuts and deficiency of staff, including professionals trained successful fields indispensable for societal rehabilitation.
Availability of weapons, unit betwixt rival transgression gangs and inadequate separation of inmates successful prisons, have further exacerbated problems astatine jails.
In addition, the aesculapian and legal investigations resulted in “confusing reports” about the fig of dead, which were archetypal reported by the authorities arsenic totalling 68, but past aboriginal to 62 deceased. For them, this discrepancy is simply a root of further suffering for the relatives of the deceased.
Obligations
In their statement, the experts remind the authorities that they person an work to support the beingness and carnal integrity of each individuals successful detention.
This includes the work to analyse unlawful deaths using the highest standards, as it is determined by The Minnesota Protocol connected the Investigation of Potentially Unlawful Death.
“The nonaccomplishment to bash truthful amounts to the arbitrary deprivation of life, torture and different ill-treatment for which the authorities are responsible”, they said.
They note that the Government has enactment the situation strategy nether a authorities of emergency, but urge factual steps to relieve overcrowding, forestall the inmates’ entree to weapons, and to beforehand the usage of alternate measures to incarceration.
The Government should also ensure strict adherence to the 2015 UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known arsenic the Mandela Rules.
According to the statement, the experts person written to the Government to explicit their concerns.
Special Rapporteurs and autarkic experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and study back on a circumstantial quality rights taxable oregon a state situation. The positions are honorary, and the experts are not paid for their work.
English (US) ·