Inmates suffer in South Sudan’s Aweil prison

Following reports of alleged human rights abuses, Northern Bahr el-Ghazal State Deputy Governor Deng Deng Akuei made an official visit to the prison on October 8, and admitted that detainees are facing extreme conditions.

I have to confirm the congestion.”

Akuei, who is also the current Caretaker Governor, said the buildings were overcrowded, with over 500 inmates crammed into buildings designed for 150. “Following my visit to Aweil Central Prison today, I have to confirm the congestion which caused lots of discomfort to the inmates,” he said. “As a government, we will work with the judiciary and executive chiefs. We can work for reduction of this number either by building another separate building in another county or relocate the whole prison.”

He warned that the living conditions of the inmates in Aweil Central Prison are worrying and appealed for urgent relocation of some prisoners or the extension of the existing building. “This is something very dangerous because there are many diseases which have occurred here. We need to address this issue,” he said.

The prison was built in 1970s when Northern Bahr el-Ghazal was still a district under Wau before it was officially announced an independent state in 1994. It is located in the centre of Aweil town with electronic wire fences to prevent inmates from escaping. It has two mains wings, one for the males and the other for females.

Detained people find it difficult to cope with living in the prison as they often force themselves to remain standing in the cell to allow in others who arrive every day. The rooms are smelly and have no proper ventilation which fuels health problems.

As well as complaints of diseases, overcrowding and poor health services in the prison, inmates also said they were not tried nor given an opportunity to be bailed out.

Bol Atak Bol, an inmate, explained his daily challenges. “In this prison we have lots of problems, for instance when one is arrested by police and brought to this prison and handed over to the warders; then the warders refuse to take us for treatment when we fall sick claiming that it is the responsibility of the police who arrested us,” he said.

We are not given equal rights.”

“When one is waiting for trial, we are not given equal rights like those convicted in the court of law. We are not allowed to go for medication at all. We are kept in the prison for minor cases which do not deserve long detention like stealing groundnut paste,” Bol said. “Sometimes someone can stay more than six months without the knowledge of a judge.”

The prison is currently hosting 585 inmates both males and females. Out of this, 24 inmates are underage and 206 inmates are females of whom 154 are awaiting trial. Most inmates were detained for theft, adultery and few others were put in prison because of a lack of dowry payments.