The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 563 (January 26 - February 8 2022)

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TheTrumpet
JANUARY 26 - FEBRUARY 8 2022
TheTrumpet Group
News
Account for deaths in
Gitega Prison fire
Field: 07956 385 604
E-mail:
info@the-trumpet.com
TheTrumpetTeam
PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
’Femi Okutubo
CONTRIBUTORS:
Moji Idowu, Ayo Odumade,
Steve Mulindwa
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have brought about the deaths, Human
Rights Watch said. The victims’ next of kin
should be involved in the process. They
should receive legal assistance, have access
to the case file, and, if State responsibility is
established, be compensated. Having a
reliable account and clearer understanding
of the circumstances surrounding the deaths
of their loved ones could help the next of
kin cope with their suffering, Human Rights
Watch said.
The absence of a credible and
transparent investigation into the Gitega fire
underscores the urgent need for sustained
scrutiny of the government’s human rights
record, Human Rights Watch said.
This tragic incident also shines a light
on persistent, systemic issues with
Burundi’s prison system. Gitega also had a
fire on August 21, reportedly due to an
electrical short circuit, but it was
extinguished before there were any
casualties. At the time of both fires, the
prison housed more than three times its
maximum inmate capacity.
According to the Association for the
Protection of Human Rights and Detained
Persons (APRODH), an exiled human
rights organization that monitors human
rights abuses and the rights of prisoners,
about 40 percent of those held at Gitega
prison as of October were in pre-trial
detention. Certain detainees in Burundi
have served their sentences or been
acquitted, but have not yet been released
due to an inefficient, corrupt, and politicized
judicial system.
Many detainees in Gitega and other
prisons in the country were convicted on the
basis of their peaceful political activities.
A March 2021 presidential
pardon announced the pardon or early
release of more than 5,000 prisoners but
excluded many accused of security-related
offenses, including many who were arrested
in the aftermath of the 2015 protests over
the former president’s bid for a third term
and are held on political grounds. About
3,000 have been released since the
announcement, according to a credible
source.
On December 29 President
Ndayishimiye said that a report on the fire
was being prepared, and that judicial
authorities should issue judgments and
speed up judicial procedures, and that
suspects accused of non serious criminal
offenses should be released from pre-trial
detention. Since then, Human Rights Watch
has received credible information that some
pre-trial detainees accused of lesser crimes
have been released from several prisons,
including Gitega.
The government should immediately
address dangerous prison overcrowding by
releasing all prisoners held for exercising
their basic rights and those detained
arbitrarily, including those who have served
their sentences or been acquitted, Human
Rights Watch said.
Under international law, government
authorities have a duty of care for people in
prisons, including an obligation to protect
their rights to life, health, safety, and
security. The African Commission on
Human and Peoples’ Rights in its
1995 Resolution on Prisons in Africa, said
that African countries should conform to the
“international norms and standards for the
protection of the human rights of prisoners.”
The UN Standard Minimum Rules for
the Treatment of Prisoners (the Mandela
Rules) state that prisoners are to be treated
with dignity and have prompt access to
medical attention, and that in the case of
deaths in custody, the prison will report the
cases to independent judicial or other
authorities to ensure a prompt, impartial,
and effective investigation. The African
Commission on Human and Peoples’
Rights and the International Covenant on
Civil and Political
Rights obligate governments to
investigate and appropriately punish those
responsible for abuses against people in
custody and to provide reparations for
victims.
“This tragedy should serve as a wakeup
call,” Mudge said. “Further delays in
tackling prison overcrowding and appalling
detention conditions will put more lives at
risk. The government should urgently
release prisoners who have no reason to be
detained, and transparently investigate any
failure of prison authorities to safeguard
prisoners’ rights, including the right to life
and access to justice and accountability.”
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CHERUBIM & SERAPHIM MOVEMENT CHURCH
Amazing Grace District -London Branch 2
God’s Promises
never fail:
* Before they call I
will answer; while
they are still
speaking I will hear
(Isaiah 65: 24)
Gitega Prison
WEEKLY DELIVERANCE SERVICE
Deliverance: Every Wednesday
Time: 6.30pm – 7pm (Individual Prayer & Counselling)
Midweek Church Service: 7pm – 9pm
Venue: Orange Room, Albany Theatre, Douglas Way,
London SE8 4AG
Other Service: Sunday Thanks giving 11am – 1.30pm
* He will call upon me and I
will answer him: I will be
with him in trouble, I will
deliver him and honour him
(Psalm 91: 15)
For further information, contact - Church Secretary: S/M/I/I (Dr) I Oni-Owoyemi 07788 745231 Or
Church Elders: S/A T Owoyemi 07956 996689 or / M/S/A W Ojomo 07939 836499 or / Apostle T Gbolasere 07484 243990
Email: amazinggracebranch2@gmail.com