We celebrate the release of 3 women pardoned by the President on Independence Day 2020. They were released on 21 July 2020 by the Sierra Leone Correctional Services (SLCS) along with all those who received Presidential Pardons earlier in the year.
This is welcome news but we call again on the Government of Sierra Leone to go further in following the example of Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and other governments across the world to prevent further spread of COVID-19 by releasing vulnerable, low risk and pre-trial detainees.
As the Sierra Leone Correctional Services’ report into the Pademba Road Correctional Centre riot identified, overcrowding is a key challenge. This is creating serious security issues and breaches of basic human rights. More than 4,000 detainees countrywide and all officers are faced with an unprecedented risk to their health in overcrowded and unsanitary facilities. The uncontrolled transmission of COVID-19 within correctional centres places the lives of those detained and SLCS staff at risk, as well as those in the wider community.
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“I am so afraid of the virus I can’t sleep. I fear for my life, and I fear for the lives of my two young children. Now my court hearing has been canceled. I am losing hope.” – Hannah*, one of the many women in correctional centres in Sierra Leone stuck in pre-trial detention due to the several months long suspension of court hearings. Her mental health and that of many other men and women continues to deteriorate as a result of this. |
COVID-19 is a human rights crisis as well as a public health crisis. By taking action to reduce arrests for minor offences and release vulnerable detainees, we can slow and stop the spread of disease in detention centres, ensuring no one is left behind.
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AdvocAid provides access to justice, education and empowerment for women and girls in Sierra Leone. For more information about our work, please visit our website.
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