Prisons in Africa: An Evaluation from a Human Rights Perspective

http://www.surjournal.org/eng/conteudos/getArtigo9.php?artigo=9,artigo_sarkin.htm In this article, Jeremy Sarkin makes a poignant argument for prison reforms in Africa. One constant theme dominates his discourse: the debasement, abuse and violation of the individual rights of prisoners. In almost all of the countries in Africa he cited, the anecdotal evidence clearly suggest the need for a different pathway to dealing with the question of prison reform, from a human rights perspective. In Uganda, he states - ‘For instance, two-thirds of the 18,000 inmates in Uganda have yet to be tried’. Ditto for South Africa, where as he contends; in South Africa Johannesburg prison, some inmates have not seen a judge in as many as seven years. In Nigeria, the situation is not any different, if not worse. He identifies the consequences of this parlous situation leading to - prison overcrowding; violation of pre-trial detention rights; dearth of prison resources and governance. He then concludes with solutions, which he narrows down to - alternative sentencing; the vigorous enforcement of prisoners’ rights vide the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights; and the unique role of a Special Rapporteur on Prisons and Conditions. In conclusion, violation of prisoners’ rights is one veritable source, around which issues of wrongful convictions and the fight for the innocent, can be located, particularly in skewed systems in Africa, as highlighted by this article.