The Sierra Leone Correctional Services report into the 29 April riot at Pademba Road Correctional Centre finds that 400% overcrowding, staff shortages, and the severe COVID-19 restrictions imposed on detainees were key causes.

We commend the SLCS for this open and transparent report. This makes clear the need to ensure accountability and justice for the fatalities, particularly the 24 who remain unidentified, and the destruction of public property.

Correctional centre staff are front line workers in the fight against COVID-19 and must be supported. It is essential that the SLCS is equipped with the staffing and resources necessary to ensure the safety and rights of inmates.

Detainees and officers are faced with an unprecedented risk to their health, in overcrowded and unsanitary facilities, which is creating serious security issues and breaches of basic human rights. The uncontrolled transmission of COVID-19 within correctional centres places the lives of prisoners and staff at risk, as well as those in the wider community.

The World Health Organization, the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights have all called on governments to release detainees so as to reduce overcrowding and prevent uncontrollable spreads of COVID-19 in detention facilities.

To prevent further spread of the virus, we urgently repeat our call to the Government of Sierra Leone to release:

• Pregnant women and women with children in detention.
• At risk populations, such as elderly prisoners or those with underlying health issues.
• Those held pre-trial who have not been convicted of any offence.
• Individuals sentenced for minor, low risk offences, particularly those who have six months or less remaining of their sentence to serve.

They should immediately be considered for release through use of various measures such as bail, early release, deferred/ suspended sentences or Presidential pardons.

We also urge the Government to use this opportunity to take the following key actions to support SLCS in stopping the spread of COVID-19 in detention centres:

• Publish the Government’s plans for slowing and stopping the spread of COVID-19 in all detention centres, including establishing screening facilities for individuals entering and for those being released
• Allow external monitoring by independent observers
• Ensure detainees have access to healthcare professionals and support services
• Ensure prison staff and health care workers have access to adequate information, equipment, training and support to protect themselves

The SLCS report should be a catalyst for much-needed wide scale reform of the justice system. This must include reducing arrests by the Sierra Leone Police for minor offences in order to decrease pressure on the justice system in these times of crisis. AdvocAid and CARL have repeatedly been calling for minor (or petty) offences to be decriminalised in order to decongest prisons and address the disproportionate impact on marginalised people in Sierra Leone.

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For Media Enquiries Contact

Lydia Kembabazi, Legal Manager, AdvocAid: 075 142 524, legal.manager@advocaidsl.org
Ibrahim Tommy, Executive Director, Center for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL): 076 365 499 ibrahim.tommy@gmail.com