Coronavirus in the DRC: the announced releases of detainees are long overdue

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In the DRC, authorities fear a catastrophe in prisons if the Covid-19 is spread. Although the releases relate to all the prisons of the country, priority will be given to the releases of the central prison of Makala and the military prison of Ndolo where more than 100 detainees have tested positive for coronavirus.

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With our correspondent in Kinshasa , Pascal Mulegwa

The lists are drawn up by the prosecutors, who have been studying the Makala prison files since Tuesday . "  The work is laborious,  " says a magistrate. In this prison house, which accommodates five times more detainees than its capacity for 1,500 people, only a quarter of residents will be released, the same for the Ndolo military prison.

“  The files must be studied carefully, put under the microscope, there is no fantasy on this. If in Makala we reach 2,000, in Ndolo around 500, we will be satisfied,  ”says Célestin Tunda Yakasende, the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Justice.

What about Vital Kamerhe

The conditions are known: people whose health is weakened by the weight of age, detainees for minor acts, theft of objects or those sentenced to minor sentences or those who have already spent a quarter of their sentences .

The government also ordered the provisional release of detainees "  no risk  " like  Vital Kamerhe , head of the chief of state, in detention for over a month. His request for provisional release was, for the third time, rejected on Tuesday, the day after the opening of his trial. 

Human rights defenders also say they are worried about a category of residents who may be omitted. There are many detainees without records, whether in Makala or Ndolo. Most of them were thrown into prison by officials or senior security officials.

Finally, concerning those convicted of the very controversial trial of the assassination of former President Laurent Désiré Kabila, the Minister of Justice speaks of a delicate case which does not fall within his competence, but that of President Félix Tshisekedi, who has the possibility of granting a presidential pardon.

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• Ground floor
• Coronavirus
• Justice

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