Rights body criticises detention of children in prisons
Jul 26, 2008
THE Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has criticized the detention of children in adult prisons.
By Josephine Maseruka
THE Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has criticized the detention of children in adult prisons.
In its 2007 report, released this week, it said that only five of the 84 districts in the country have remand homes for children. The five are Kampala, Mpigi, Kabarole, Mbale and Gulu.
“The majority of police stations lack detention facilities for children and in prisons, they detain them with adults,†the report notes.
In Soroti Prison, UHCR found 56 children under the age of 18 sharing cells with adults, the youngest being a 15-year-old boy.
In Fort Portal, the commission received complaints alleging that some children had their ages changed by Police to 18 or above so that they could be remanded in adult prisons.
The Police, however, denied this, insisting that they record the age mentioned by the suspects or their relatives.
Where there is doubt, they claim, they refer such cases to the Police surgeon.
Lack of space is the main reason for putting children and adults together in the same cells. Congestion is listed as one of the major problems in Uganda’s prisons by the Human Rights Commission.
Some prisons house seven times more inmates than their capacity.
Nakasongola Prison, which has a capacity of 31 inmates, currently holds 228.
Luzira, meant for 668 people, has 2,318 prisoners while Masaka Prison houses 780 detainees, almost four times its capacity.
“Efforts were taken by the Government to construct and renovate prison facilities.
“These included Kitalya, Mbarara, Mororo, Masaka and Luzira Condemn Section.â€
In addition, prisoners were moved from congested to less congested units.
“Revival of release on parole and review of sentences was also undertaken to reduce congestion in 2007,†the report noted.
THE Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has criticized the detention of children in adult prisons.
In its 2007 report, released this week, it said that only five of the 84 districts in the country have remand homes for children. The five are Kampala, Mpigi, Kabarole, Mbale and Gulu.
“The majority of police stations lack detention facilities for children and in prisons, they detain them with adults,†the report notes.
In Soroti Prison, UHCR found 56 children under the age of 18 sharing cells with adults, the youngest being a 15-year-old boy.
In Fort Portal, the commission received complaints alleging that some children had their ages changed by Police to 18 or above so that they could be remanded in adult prisons.
The Police, however, denied this, insisting that they record the age mentioned by the suspects or their relatives.
Where there is doubt, they claim, they refer such cases to the Police surgeon.
Lack of space is the main reason for putting children and adults together in the same cells. Congestion is listed as one of the major problems in Uganda’s prisons by the Human Rights Commission.
Some prisons house seven times more inmates than their capacity.
Nakasongola Prison, which has a capacity of 31 inmates, currently holds 228.
Luzira, meant for 668 people, has 2,318 prisoners while Masaka Prison houses 780 detainees, almost four times its capacity.
“Efforts were taken by the Government to construct and renovate prison facilities.
“These included Kitalya, Mbarara, Mororo, Masaka and Luzira Condemn Section.â€
In addition, prisoners were moved from congested to less congested units.
“Revival of release on parole and review of sentences was also undertaken to reduce congestion in 2007,†the report noted.