Rights advocate calls for detainees’ release

The president of the Guinea-Bissau Human Rights League, Inacio Tavares, has called on the authorities to release prisoners of war, who are reportedly being detained in poor conditions, PANA said. PANA quoted Tavares as saying on Wednesday that 114 prisoners had been detained in Bissau’s Segunda Esquadra prisons since fighting on 22-23 November between soldiers loyal to the government and supporters of former military strongman General Ansumane Mane, who is now dead. “They have no drinking water, medical and food assistance and are living under deplorable hygienic conditions,” Tavares said. “They have been subjected to physical abuse and serious human rights violations. Moreover, visits are prohibited.” Tavares called on the government to end the torture of the prisoners, speed up the hearing of the detainees, release the innocent from prison and stop “the persecution of families of suspects on the run”. PANA quoted reliable sources as saying that around 400 soldiers were detained in the Segunda Escuadra prisons and two other locations.