The Congolese Observatory for Human Rights (OCDH) deplored, Friday, April 1, the death, which occurred between February and March, of at least four people in the remand centers of Owando and Ouesso, two cities from the north of the country.
With our correspondent in Brazzaville, Loicia Martial
These people died of various pathologies. A situation that is not justified, according to Franck Chardin Aubin Tchibinda, executive director of the OCDH. ” We have recorded four deaths in recent weeks. These are people who died of malnutrition, malaria or diarrhoea. These are causes that cannot be justified in the middle of the 21st century. “, forcefully denounced Mr. Tchibinda.
He encourages the authorities to adopt the penitentiary code. ” We are in the era of modernism. We can not understand that in this era there are people detained, anyway, enjoying rights, who can die of malnutrition (for example) “, he noted before adding: “ The Congo is about to enact a law on the penitentiary code. This is something we welcome. We believe that with the application of this code there will be change “, informed Mr. Tchibinda.
For him, however, it is not enough to adopt the laws and to promulgate them, but they must be applied. Because, according to him, this is the problem. ” We think that with the promulgation of this law on the penitentiary code, the conditions of application will be put in place, so that the conditions of the prisoners are a little more improved. “, estimated the executive director of the OCDH.
Thirteen deaths in a police station were recorded in 2018, 6 in 2021.