More than 100 prisoners have died this year in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to the dire conditions in the country’s overcrowded and underfunded prisons, according to a UN human rights official.
The primary causes of these deaths were contagious diseases like tuberculosis, aggravated by the lack of medical attention available in the crowded facilities.
Insufficient food also played a role in contributing to the fatalities, the official noted.
The director of the UN’s Joint Humans Rights Office, Patrice Vahard, stated that 104 deaths in detention have been confirmed since the beginning of 2024, contrasting with 222 prison deaths recorded in 2023.
The majority of these deaths occurred in the eastern provinces of North Kivu and Tanganyika, as well as in the western province of Kwilu.
Vahard highlighted the challenges faced by families residing far from prisons, making it difficult for them to provide food to their detained relatives.
Congo’s prisons are notorious for their severe overcrowding, with inadequate funding exacerbating the situation.
Vahard mentioned a specific instance in Kwilu where a cell designed for 50 people accommodated over 200 inmates.
The country’s Human Rights Minister, Albert Puela, acknowledged the government’s awareness of these issues and stated that efforts were underway to improve conditions and release prisoners held in pre-trial detention, which often exceeds legal limits due to judicial delays.
In a recent development, approximately 70 inmates in pre-trial detention were released from the main prison in the capital city of Kinshasa over the past weekend as part of ongoing efforts to address the challenges faced by the prison system.
Source-theeastafrican
