Undercover images of prison conditions in Zimbabwe reveal a grotesque abuse of human rights
These images were taken on the 5 January 2009. Please also note that an article describing conditions in Zimbabwe’s prisons recently appeared in The Zimbabwean – we’ve reproduced it in full at the end of this post.
Via The Zimbabwean (24 January 2009) — The government has established a cemetery at one of its biggest jails to bury hundreds of prisoners dying from disease and hunger, according to a confidential report shown to The Zimbabwean on Sunday. The report prepared by prison officials for Commissioner of Prisons Paradzai Zimondi paints a horrifying picture of conditions in Zimbabwe’s overcrowded jails, long neglected by a government hard pressed for cash and resources after nearly a decade of acute recession.
At one time, last month, prison officials had to contact a mass burial of decomposing bodies of prisoners that had been kept in a room at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison for six moths because a mortuary at Harare Central Prison was full, the report said in horrifying illustration of grim conditions in jails.
Last year saw the highest number of deaths of inmates ever recorded since Zimbabwe’s 1980 independence from Britain, said the report titled “End of year 2008 brief to the Commissioner of Prisons”.
The report was handed to Zimondi on Monday this week, according to our sources in the prison service.
Efforts to get comment on the report from either Zimondi or Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa were fruitless.
According to the report, 2008 was “the most horrific and traumatic year” for both inmates and prison wardens.
Prisoners went for days without a meal and were occasionally supplied with food “only meant to keep a person alive” such as the staple sadza (a thick porridge made from maize meal) and salted, unclean water, according to the eight-page report.
“The death impact of prisoners saw the opening of a cemetery at Chikurubi Prison Farm. The main causes of prisoners’ deaths included reduced meals, shortage of drugs and poor health environment in our prisons,” it said.
“Sir, we want to believe that 2008 had the highest number of prisoners’ deaths in the history of the ZPS (Zimbabwe Prisons Service). In Mashonaland Region alone in 2008 we witnessed a total number of 900 prisoners deaths,” according to the report.
A cholera epidemic that has killed close to 3 000 Zimbabweans since August has apparently also spread to jails, killing 234 prisoners between 23 December 2008 and 10 January 2009, according to the report.
“The most challenge we faced was living with dead bodies outside mortuaries,” the grim document said. “The situation was even very bad at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison where bodies have been kept in a room since July 2008 up to 31 December 2008 mainly because the mortuary at Harare Central Prison could not accommodate them.”
With Mugabe’s government preoccupied with trying to find money to buy food, essential medicines, fuel, electricity and for salaries for hundreds of thousands of its workers, prisoners are a forgotten lot.
More often than not, inmates in many of the country’s jails have to survive on a single meal per day of sadza and cabbage boiled in salted water because there is no money to buy adequate supplies.
An outbreak of pellagra disease in 2007 killed at least 23 inmates at the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison. Pellagra is a vitamin deficiency disease caused by shortage of vitamin B3 and protein.
Overcrowding has only helped worsen the situation with the country’s 55 jails said to be holding anything above 35 000 inmates at any given time which is more than double their designed carrying capacity of 17 000 inmates.
A parliamentary committee that toured Chikurubi and other prisons in 2006 was shocked to find inmates clad in torn, dirty uniforms and crammed into overcrowded cells with filthy; overflowing toilets that had not been flushed for weeks as water had been cut off due to unpaid bills.
The committee said in a report that the conditions in prisons were inhuman. However, nothing much has been done to date to improve conditions due to a lack of resources.
February 7th, 2009 17:56
This is classed as murder via neglect. It depends upon the MT grouping as to whether they intend to pursue human rights abuses at this stage. But importantly..once they are sworn in…they become a part of government and hence an accessory to these abuses. They need to distance themselves from any accusation or complicity
February 8th, 2009 19:50
This is disgusting. If this is a prison sentence, I think I’d rather face the death penalty.
February 8th, 2009 20:21
Absolutely grotesque. How anyone can see something progressive in Mugabe’s regime is beyond me.
February 9th, 2009 06:09
This report made me sick to my stomach.
How repugnant to be part of this regime!
Watch out MDC lest you be tarred with the same brush.
February 9th, 2009 17:03
Holocaust in Zimbabwe, are these not similar to Hitler’s concencetration camps
February 9th, 2009 17:48
disgusted, sickening images for my fellow bretherens “Prisoners,” yes, they committed a crime and should serve time for it, but surely not in an inhumane and undinifying manner.
February 9th, 2009 19:31
That is one reason why Tsvangirai’s compromise makes seanse.With Gaddafi at the helm appealing to the AU was going to be a waste of time.Now we can deal with Bob while something is getting done to the welfare of Zimbos
February 9th, 2009 19:46
Gandi said you can tell how civilized a people are by the way they treat their animals, well if this is how people are treated then what does that say – it is beyond measure, the inhumanity of Zanu-PF. Mugabe + cronies should be subjected to this, rather than the Hague.
February 9th, 2009 23:36
This could be also the future of South Africa if the ANC continues!
February 10th, 2009 19:23
A society which helds prisoners has to care for them properly just because they cannot do it themselves. If the state is not able to do so and the inmates die of hunger and diseases it has to set free these people no matter what crime they have comitted because human dignity is untouchable.
February 13th, 2009 17:11
the new govenment must act siftly.to address this situation.
or the prime minister will be sucked into this gross injustice
every day they dont act will be blood on their hands to
it makes me cry to know that the cabinet is being sworn in while one off them is being added to the tally of prisoners.
the p.m should be carefull he will be added to that sanctions list for being part of the govenment tha is continuing these misjustices.
February 13th, 2009 18:48
This absolutely disgusting and beyond human.Seeing how the prison officers present themselves I am surprised they wake up in the morning to go and commit such offences.
February 13th, 2009 23:50
i urge the p.m to stop thi rot .get out get out.the house is burningin your face.
the charges against Bennet are the same as your fellow party members had before and will be used as armunition you
i say think .and fast.it will be a noose around you.till you fall into fold,and join the system
up to you mr p.m.
the chips r down
February 15th, 2009 00:33
IAM TOTALLY DISGUSTED AND EMBARRASSED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH SUCH BRUTAL .HEARTLESS PEOPLE, I PRAY TO GOD TO KINDLY DELIVER US FROM THIS RVIL ,
February 16th, 2009 07:28
It`s amazing this regime,How does someone humane put so many people in HELL on earth?,Whilst they live in paradise.Let them free, maybe better leaders in there.
February 16th, 2009 11:42
Do you know what zim is doing it is not nice at all, because who ever is dealing with health situation. Can he try to do something coz people are dying. It is so sad to all this picture l have seen.
February 16th, 2009 15:27
what has this got to do with ANC that is SA. here its zim we concerned about and guys the situ in the prison is touching. what can we do as the citizens can we not go and refurbish the prisons ourselves take the cement soil and shovels and go do the job. why dont we go with drums of water and go flush the toilets. why dont we volunteer to go with food and cook a group each day to make supper. we cant give people cash coz we know what will happen we cant give them goods coz it will vanish. lets put ouraction to it. above all pray the unity gvt is a show of God’s hand he is doing something in our midst
February 16th, 2009 22:22
This is sickening, appalling and disgusting. Someone has to pay for this. Its crime against humanity of the highest order
February 17th, 2009 00:43
It is horible that people are treated this way I was looking for stuff for a Girl Scout Project on Zimbabwe and until this it only really revealed the better side. This makes you think that every place has a dark side even the little countries that nobody knows about or cares. I wouldn’t like to go to this place.
February 17th, 2009 22:51
I am a student at USF in St. Pete and my major is anthropology. I am applying for graduate work in this area, was wondering how if at all possible cna one send items to the prisoners? I don’t feel comfortable sending cash as I know guards would get it, what abotu clothing, bedding or food aid? Anyone know?
February 18th, 2009 01:37
Mimi – You could try ZANE (Zimbabwe A national Emergency) They help everyone including the sick and pensioners. No doubt prisoners too (you should ask them)
Contact- PO BOX Upminster, Essex RM14 3WB UK
Tel. 0044 (0)1708 855113
email. info@zane.uk.com
April 30th, 2009 14:20
this is utterly disgusting and inhumane, i feel so hopeless knowing that so many have tried to stand up to this ruthless regime and all efforts so far have been in vain.
i just hope tsvangirai and his team know what they are doin and that sooner or later the problem that has become zimbabwe is solved!!!