By Desmond Lewis
On the 4thand 5th of April, Sierra Leone section conducted training session for over 35 District focal persons and at the national secretariat in Freetown.
The event was a specialized training focused on monitoring of detention centers with standard minimum Rules for Treatment of Prisoners (The Nelson Mandela Rules).
Solomon Sogbadi, Director Amnesty International encourage participants to make the most of the training. He said the training is to equip participants to handle the growing number of abuses and violations of victims and detainees in detention and their communities.
He explained how knowledge gained would help them in their roles as monitors of correctional centers and police cells.
“As monitors you should look at the bail condition, the type of food they eat, the legality of their detention, the detention structures and conditions and treatment of both detainees and staff in accordance with international standard.The Nelson Mandela Rules is officially the United Nations minimum rules for treatment of prisoners. These are guidelines for prison management emphasizing human dignity, safety and security. “Sogbandi said.
JaihKaikai,Growth and Campaign Coordinator Amnesty International said monitors should observe the ethnics of monitoring in detention centers.
Kaikai said monitors should reports on any form of torture and ill-treatment as prohibited by convention against Torture (CAT). He said confidentiality should be key and reports should not be made public only to Amnesty international for consideration for better improvement.
Monitors should observe all protocols at detention centers and be polite when executing the work.
Director of policy planning at correctional centers Lamin Bangura said he is happy for such venture to monitor the centers.
Mr Bangurs said they are only care takers for the police and the court. He mentioned the overcrowding at the detention center which is not their fault but the court and police.
He further stated that some prisoners are serving their terms for petty crime like five hundred thousand, stealing of chicken.
He some of the prisoner make use of the opportunities they have in correctional center.
He said John Bosco is operating a well equipped computer lab were some inmates are being trained in designing and printing.
He said the Pademba Road Correctional Centrewas built to accommodate 320 inmates but that presently, they have over 1600.
He also mentioned about shortage of staff and their plans to recruit more officers and build their own hospital.
The Human Rights Education Coordinate of Amnesty International, Emanuel Sattie also spoke about investing, recording and documenting human rights violation and abuse. Sattie explained that there are complex cases in which the investigator should consider safety and security before venture
