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Benin gov't urged to end overcrowding in prisons

Xinhua, January 19, 2016 Adjust font size:

The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) on Monday urged the Beninese government to take "immediate" measures to end overcrowding in prisons.

Speaking in Cotonou after their working visit to Benin between Jan. 11 to 15, SPT experts urged Beninese authorities to ease the suffering of detainees and improve the general detention conditions.

During their visit, the experts organized unannounced visits to prisons in Abomey, Cotonou and Porto Novo regions, and examined the degree of implementation of SPT recommendations that were made in 2008.

"Benin has made a lot of progress since our previous visit in 2008, but much still remains to be done. Majority of the detention centers we visited were overcrowded and lacked adequate prison warders as well as other resources. In particular, the detention conditions in Abomey prison were inhuman and shocking," said Victor Madrigal Borloz, the head of the delegation.

He urged the authorities to urgently address concerns of detainees with regards to access to food and water, address the poor hygiene conditions and end overcrowding.

The UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture has a preventive mandate focused on an innovative, sustained and proactive approach to the prevention of torture and ill treatment. Enditem