Prisons Dept silent as NGO raises alleged torture, death in custody

 

The Prisons Department has remained tight-lipped over the death of a prisoner in Negeri Sembilan and the alleged torture of another at Simpang Renggam Prison in Johor.

Attempts to obtain comments from the agency have been unsuccessful since Friday, when human rights NGO Suaram issued a statement demanding accountability over the alleged incidents.

According to Suaram executive director Azura Nasron, a 69-year-old convict died at Temiang Prison, Negeri Sembilan, on June 22 while serving a two-month sentence, allegedly from a critical illness.

She said the man’s family was puzzled by his death, as he purportedly had no underlying health conditions.

“To make matters worse, the family members were barred from viewing the body on the same day, with prison authorities claiming that it had already been sealed,” Azura added.

Suaram executive director Azura Nasron

Inmate claims torture

In the second incident, she said Suaram was alerted by a family member of an inmate at Simpang Renggam Prison, Johor, who claimed that a prison guard had tortured the inmate on June 4.

The warden allegedly used a pipe to strike the sole of the prisoner’s foot, resulting in grievous injuries.

Despite lodging a police report and raising complaints with prison authorities, Azura said the inmate had not been transferred to another facility.

She stressed that the latest allegations were alarming, citing the recent Taiping Prison incident, which authorities claimed was a riot and resulted in the death of an inmate and injuries to scores of others following alleged attacks by prison guards.

The incidents showed that the penal system remained in a critical state, marked by a severe lack of structural reforms, failing oversight mechanisms, and a culture of impunity, Azura added.

Suaram called on the Attorney-General’s Chambers to order a transparent inquest into the Temiang Prison death, while urging the Home Ministry and Prisons Department to provide the families with full medical records, post-mortem findings, and explanations over the incidents.

The group also demanded action against officers found to have been negligent or complicit in the alleged mistreatment of prisoners. - Mkini