Amushelelo 'isolated' for own safety – prison chiefs
The Namibia Correctional Service (NCS) has denied that opposition figure Michael Amushelelo is being kept in solitary confinement and insists he is only kept in a single cell for his own safety.
Amushelelo's wife Julietta yesterday insisted in a social media post that the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) commissar, who has been in custody since 21 March, is being detained in solitary confinement at the Windhoek Correctional Facility.
Amushelelo has been behind bars for three months after being arrested at a march by unemployed graduates. He was arrested with member of parliament Inna Hengari of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and social justice activist Dimbulukeni Nauyoma – who were both granted bail.
Amushelelo’s case was postponed to 25 August.
‘For his own safety’
Deputy commissioner Veikko Almas, the officer in charge at the Windhoek Correctional Facility, told Namibian Sun yesterday that Amushelelo is not held in solitary confinement, but rather in a single cell "for his own safety".
"The inmate [Amushelelo] is not being held in solitary confinement. This is just a term used in the Windhoek Correctional Facility when the inmate is sanctioned. He is not being punished," he said.
Furthermore, Almas said Amushelelo was put in the same cell as his previous detainments as he is a "high-profile inmate”.
He also refuted claims that Amushelelo was held in a separate cell because of fear that he would influence other inmates with his radical political views.
"We are doing this for the safety of the inmate, as we always do. If something happens to Amushelelo today, we won’t be able to give answers," he added.
Various reasons
Meanwhile, NCS Commissioner-General Raphael Hamunyela said inmates are confined to a single cell for various reasons, including “as a mode of punishment”.
"This includes security, medical and social reasons. Inmates might be a danger to other inmates,” he said.
“The law provides solitary confinement in a single cell as a mode of punishment. We also put them in isolation if they influence other inmates, which would be a security risk for us.”
“If they come in with any anger, this will be done for them to cool down,” he told the Namibian Sun telephonically.
He added: “I can't presume why Amushelelo has been separated from other inmates”.
Amushelelo's wife Julietta yesterday insisted in a social media post that the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) commissar, who has been in custody since 21 March, is being detained in solitary confinement at the Windhoek Correctional Facility.
Amushelelo has been behind bars for three months after being arrested at a march by unemployed graduates. He was arrested with member of parliament Inna Hengari of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) and social justice activist Dimbulukeni Nauyoma – who were both granted bail.
Amushelelo’s case was postponed to 25 August.
‘For his own safety’
Deputy commissioner Veikko Almas, the officer in charge at the Windhoek Correctional Facility, told Namibian Sun yesterday that Amushelelo is not held in solitary confinement, but rather in a single cell "for his own safety".
"The inmate [Amushelelo] is not being held in solitary confinement. This is just a term used in the Windhoek Correctional Facility when the inmate is sanctioned. He is not being punished," he said.
Furthermore, Almas said Amushelelo was put in the same cell as his previous detainments as he is a "high-profile inmate”.
He also refuted claims that Amushelelo was held in a separate cell because of fear that he would influence other inmates with his radical political views.
"We are doing this for the safety of the inmate, as we always do. If something happens to Amushelelo today, we won’t be able to give answers," he added.
Various reasons
Meanwhile, NCS Commissioner-General Raphael Hamunyela said inmates are confined to a single cell for various reasons, including “as a mode of punishment”.
"This includes security, medical and social reasons. Inmates might be a danger to other inmates,” he said.
“The law provides solitary confinement in a single cell as a mode of punishment. We also put them in isolation if they influence other inmates, which would be a security risk for us.”
“If they come in with any anger, this will be done for them to cool down,” he told the Namibian Sun telephonically.
He added: “I can't presume why Amushelelo has been separated from other inmates”.
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