DEMOCRATIC INITIATIVES CENTER, THE COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS NETWORK OF PRISON VISIT PANAMA Chorrera.
March 14, 2010.
Licenses and Leila Maria Jaén Arosemena (Executive Director and responsible Prison Justice and Peace), accompanied by the Licensee. Victor Atencio Gomez (Vice President of the Center for Democratic Initiatives and a member of the Network of Human Rights in Panama) visited the Central Prison of La Chorrera.
During this visit, human rights organizations were able to observe the deplorable prison conditions, which have hardly changed since development in 2007 of the Report of the Harvard University [1] , and the conclusion of the hearing subject to the Human Rights Commission [2] .
Particularly serious is the situation of drinking water and sewage, in the case of those of their rarity and these by inadequate treatment. The latter are filtered throughout the building affecting prisoners and staff. These leaks are present even in the area where food is handled for distribution.
In this last issue complaints from inmates revolve around the quantity and quality of food (lack of creams on the breakfast and do little, sometimes the chicken is raw). It was confirmed during the visit of poor quality rice for lunch, which was only accompanied by gizzard, without lining of beans, and beverage packaging that was not enough for the 500 detainees at the center.
This situation is aggravated by poor product of the Centre, which can be considered equivalent to those in the prisons of Columbus, reported in October 2009 by these organizations, and that decision is still pending an Action Habeas corpus is a group that is in the hands of the Supreme Court.
Overcrowding is evident in an installation that houses 527 people the day of the visit, when their physical capacity is for 175 people [3] .
These physical conditions, which adds to inadequate ventilation, poor light and moisture, impact on prison inmates, resulting in skin diseases, the spread of colds and other pathological characteristic of overcrowding.
Prisoners complain of the length of visiting time (15 minutes) than in Chorrera is advanced in a room where no contact is allowed between inmates and their visitors.
assert that receive only one hour in the yard a week. Given the conditions
presents the structure of the prison, which was originally was designed to meet administrative cases, but it now has a tried and convicted of criminal cases, Human Rights Network said that they do not meet the Minimum Standards for the Treatment of Prisoners United Nations, be established as a form of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, to the detriment of the right to humane treatment of prisoners and staff who work in the Centre.
finally remind the Panamanian government commitments made during the 2008 theme hearing before the Inter-American Commission, in an effort to adjust the conditions of detention to the standards set by human rights instruments ratified by the Panamanian government, and invite the Panamanian government to ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in an effort to improve the rules that allow for better monitoring the situation of persons deprived of liberty.
[1] Human Rights Clinic at Harvard University. Here is the gate to end human rights: Injustice and Inequality in Panamanian prisons. 2008, visible in http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/docs/ngos/HarvardClinicPanamaprisons.pdf . The title of this report was coined by a detainee in the prison of La Chorrera, and originates from a phrase that was used by the guards who watched the center. We will see that conditions continue to justify the use of this unfortunate phrase.
[2] Held in March 2008. It also participated in the Clinic of Harvard University Center for Democratic Initiatives and the Justice and Peace Commission.
[3] View statistics of prison population from 1 to 5 March 2010 in http://www.sistemapenitenciario.gob.pa/uploads/static/4.pdf
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