Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono is being treated just like any other prisoner during these difficult times, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correcti...
Journalist Hopewell Chin’ono is being treated just like
any other prisoner during these difficult times, the Zimbabwe Prisons and
Correctional Services (ZPCS) has said.
Hopewell’s lawyer, Ms Beatrice Mtetwa has said she feared
that Hopewell could be poisoned in jail. She was also fuming after he was
shackled and transferred to Chikurubi without her knowledge.
ZPCS spokesperson Supt Meya Khanyezi said :“The
Commissioner General is empowered to make standing orders and it is in terms of
these standing orders that certain categories of prisoners can only have
visitors within sight and hearing of prison officers. Transfer of inmates from
one prison to another is entirely an administrative issue. ZPCS is not
obligated to inform an inmate’s lawyers.
“The decision to suspend the visits was taken with the
interest of offenders at heart. It is not a punitive measure but a temporary
preventive action meant to ensure that the incarcerated are protected from the
Covid-19 pandemic that has affected and killed a number of people worldwide.
Although we have recorded cases in Beitbridge, Plumtree, Masvingo, Whawha and
Bulawayo we have since put measures to curb the continuous spread of the
disease in our prisons.
“This was not a decision we arrived at lightly, as we
understand and recognise the importance of family contact with the prison
population. Our primary concern has to be public safety and reducing the number
of people who enter our facilities is a key factor in limiting the potential
spread of this illness into our prisoner population. The department will
continue to monitor the situation to determine when visits will be restored.”
“As ZPCS we also ensure that during the Covid-19 pandemic
the human rights of all those who remain in detention are upheld while taking
the specific needs of the most vulnerable detainees, persons with disabilities,
pregnant women and juvenile detainees into account. Any restrictions imposed on
detainees should be non-discriminatory, necessary, proportionate, time-limited
and transparent”.
Both Ngarivhume and Chin’ono are being treated just as any
other intimates, the prisons spokesperson said.
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