Fri, 19 May 2017 10:16:32 +0000 By CHANDA MULAYE & INNOCENT SIACHITOBA The gross overcrowding in Zambia’s correctional facilities is of grave concern to the country’s criminal justice system, the Human Rights Commission has said. Chairperson of the commission, Mr. Mudford Mwandenga, revealed that as of 17th May, 2017, the inmate population countrywide was at 21,370 against the holding capacity of 8,250, representing a national overcrowding of approximately 159 percent. “Our prisons are extremely overcrowded. Our country’s population has increased and we have to bear in mind that the increase does not match with the facilities that we have,” he said. Mr. Mwandenga also said that overcrowding violated a number of human rights of the inmates. “Prisoners should be treated at all times with humanity, humanely and with respect to their inherent dignity,” he said. He noted that administrative monitoring by the State as well as independent monitoring by different non-State actors was necessary to […]
