Africa-Press – Angola. The Ombudsman, Florbela Rocha Araújo, appealed this Thursday, in Benguela, to the competent authorities to speed up the processing of inmates’ cases, with a view to conditional or definitive release, after serving their prison sentence.
Florbela Rocha Araújo was speaking to the press, after visiting the Cavaco Penitentiary Establishment, as part of her four-day work mission to the province of Benguela, to ensure the defense of citizens’ rights by the competent authorities.
In the custody of the Prison Services, in the province of Benguela, there are currently 1,657 inmates, 499 of whom are in pre-trial detention and 1,001 convicts incarcerated in five prisons, but only in the Cavaco Penitentiary, the largest of all, there are 1,500 prisoners, of which 61 were women.
According to the Ombudsman, inmates complain about slow processes, delays by the Supreme Court in relation to expired sentences or the granting of parole for those who have already served half of their sentence.
He also said that he had found, with sadness, that some prisoners, whose sentences have expired for some time, are unable to go free, because they are unable to pay compensation or fines due to lack of financial resources.
Although she considered the issue complex, as it goes beyond the limits of the Ombudsman’s Office, the president of the Supreme Court and the Attorney General of the Republic, the person in charge promises that she will submit to the competent authorities a proposal to change the legislation, so that there is more flexibility in the payment of compensation.
“The Ombudsman can also request changes to legislation, present studies on issues that violate citizens’ rights”, he asserted.
In his view, someone whose sentence has expired and who cannot enjoy freedom is something that cannot be agreed with the Ombudsman’s Office, which, as he reiterated, defends the rights, freedoms and guarantees of citizens.
Memo
Florbela Rocha Araújo made it known that a memorandum is being prepared to propose changes to various legislation to the competent authorities, which includes the issue of payment of compensation or fines, so that there is a certain consideration during this legislature, as quickly as possible..
He emphasizes that he has forwarded these concerns about the prison situation of prisoners not only in Benguela, but throughout the country, to the competent authorities, namely the Superior Council of the Judiciary.
“But it seems that we are not being heard”, said the Ombudsman, warning that this situation has endangered the lives of many citizens in conflict with the law, creating discomfort for families who find themselves unable to pay these compensations and fines.
“So, we are asking for consideration and to see if there can be some agreement with the families, so that (the compensation or fine) is paid gradually”, he revealed, insisting that this implies changing the law, to change the current framework.
On the other hand, she expressed satisfaction at the non-existence of cases of excessive pre-trial detention or overcrowding in jails in the province of Benguela, despite the problems of procedural slowness that affect some inmates.
He also pointed out as a positive point the fact that the Cavaco Prison Establishment has a permanent Attorney General of the Republic, to deal with issues related to inmates, which, in cooperation with the guarantee judges, since last year, has made it possible to improve their situation.
It also highlights the union of synergies between the Ombudsman’s Office and the Superior Council of both the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, including the directors of the country’s prison establishments and the Minister of the Interior, in favor of improving the conditions of inmates.
The Ombudsman’s agenda includes a lecture for Friday on the theme “The mandate and function of the Ombudsman and the duty of cooperation with the central and local administration bodies of the State”, addressed to judicial magistrates and the Public Prosecutor’s Office , provincial directors, traditional authorities, teachers and students.
In addition to hearings for citizens, the program also reserves visits to a hospital unit in the municipality of Catumbela and the Municipal Command of the National Police and Criminal Investigation Service (SIC), in Lobito.
The visit ends on Saturday morning, with Florbela Rocha Araújo and her delegation returning to Luanda in the afternoon of the same day.
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