KLP, Since the American military is under such a microscope regarding how they treat prisoners (terrorists), held in custody. I think I'll start publishing news articles related to prison abuse around the world. My assumption is there will be plenty of news items worse than Gitmo.
Where is Durbin? Where is Kofi Annan?
Bid to bar prison rape
Kuben Chetty
June 10 2005 at 07:46PM
iol.co.za
In all South African prisons, sexual abuse and rape are a common daily occurrence.
Now, the Human Rights Commission and the only prisoner organisation in the country are hoping a precedent-setting lawsuit, won by a man who claimed he contracted HIV and Aids after being sodomised in prison, will change this situation.
The Chatsworth man, arrested in November 1998, was granted R500 bail but was unable to pay it.
While in prison, the man claimed, he was gang-raped.
'Some people are in prison for stealing a bar of soap or stealing sugar'
Last week, the department of correctional services reached an out-of-court settlement with the man.
The department has failed to respond to repeated questions put to it by the Daily News.
"I think the settlement is an indication that the department, as a matter of law, needs to be responsible for people in the penal system.
"There are many people in prison every day whose rights are violated - and this is just ordinary violence and not just sexual violence," said Human Rights Commissioner Jody Kallopen.
"There are too many people within the penal system, and too many who don't actually belong there. Some people are in prison for stealing a bar of soap or stealing sugar."
Lizelle Albertse of Friends Against Abuse, an organisation that assists new inmates at Pollsmoor Prison in the Western Cape, said gang systems and not overcrowded prisons led to prisoner rape.
"For the 28 Gang, male rape is an initiation process.
"With not enough wardens in prisons, and more than the allotted prisoners in cells, the gang systems flourish in a wicked cycle," she said.
Meanwhile, there are others who believe overcrowded prisons are a key concern for Correctional Services.
Judge Hannes Fagan, the inspecting judge of prisons, believes that overcrowding causes rape.
"Overcrowding is the cause of rape. Gangs flourish in overcrowded situations," he said.
Attorney Siven Samuel said many of his clients told him of the horrific conditions they were subjected to in prison.
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