VISIT TO DJIBOUTI'S PRISON SHOWS IMPROVING CONDITIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DJIBOUTI 000753 DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E AND DRL LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM CASC SOCI DJ SUBJECT: VISIT TO DJIBOUTI'S PRISON SHOWS IMPROVING CONDITIONS ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: During a September 10 visit to Djibouti's prison, EmbOffs noted substantial improvements in conditions. While there were some persistent shortcomings--such as unsatisfactory sanitary conditions in the prison kitchen--EmbOffs noted that minors, women, and pre-trial detainees were held separately, and that there were appropriate separate accommodations for prisoners with communicable diseases. EmbOffs toured a new facility for a better-educated, dedicated prison guard force, slated to replace the current National Police personnel this month. There were no AmCit prisoners. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) PolOff, ConOff, and PolAsst visited Gabode Prison on September 10. The visit had been requested via diplomatic note, and was granted quickly, within the requested time frame. Prisons Director Saleh Djama and interim Gabode Prison Director Osman Harad Gadad accompanied EmbOffs on the prison tour, which included almost all prison buildings. Although EmbOffs did not visit every prison area, they were shown each facility they requested to see. Gabode Prison is Djibouti's only prison, save for small temporary holding facilities in outlying towns. -------------- PRISONER COUNT -------------- ¶3. (U) Prison officials provided EmbOffs with a copy of the daily prisoner accounting records for September 10. According to those data, there were currently 434 prisoners, including 3 juveniles and 21 women. About 60 percent of the prisoners had already been convicted, while 40 percent were awaiting trail. The majority of prisoners--approximately 60 percent--were Djiboutians. There were also sizeable populations of Ethiopian (about 20 percent) and Somali (about 14 percent) nationals. There were no AmCit prisoners. Prison officials said that there were approximately 19 administrative staff, and 50 National Police guards working at the prison. -------------- FACILITIES: BASIC BUT GENERALLY ADEQUATE -------------- ¶4. (SBU) EmbOffs visited a majority of prisoner accommodations, including facilities for men, women, and minors. There were three male minors, held together in separate quarters. Women were also held separately, although prison officials noted that convicted women and female pretrial detainees were held together. Although there were no children present in the women's quarters, prison officials said that small babies would be allowed to stay with their mothers. EmbOffs were shown separate facilities for convicted male prisoners, and male prisoners awaiting trial. EmbOffs were also shown one separate individual cell reserved for a high-profile prisoner. The remaining prisoners were held in large communal cell houses, each holding approximately forty prisoners. Each building had adequate light and ventilation, access to water faucets, and two toilets. Prisoners had bedding on the floor in rows, with personal belongings hung on the walls. While the cells were full to capacity, they did not appear overcrowded. EmbOffs observed prisoners sleeping, resting, talking, and playing chess. Prisoners had access to a mosque, although not--as the Prisons Director acknowledged--a church. -------------- THREE SQUARES A DAY -------------- ¶5. (SBU) According to prison officials, prisoners were fed three times a day--including during the fasting month of Ramadan, for the benefit of Christian prisoners. EmbOffs were shown the kitchen facilities, where meat was being prepared for the midday meal. Sanitary conditions were somewhat improved from past visits, but still rudimentary. Meat was being prepared on unsanitary surfaces, and was covered with flies. Prison officials showcased cooking equipment that they said was provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC),although they said that due to problems with supplying oil to the stoves, they were now using wood fuel. Prison officials said that ICRC visited Gabode Prison regularly--at least twice a year and sometimes three times. -------------- HEALTH -------------- ¶6. (SBU) EmbOffs visited prison infirmary rooms, and spoke with the prison's full-time nurse. According to the nurse, while he had plenty of medications, there were sometimes gaps in supplying the prison with twice-weekly visits from a doctor. He reported that the Ministry of Health had recently assigned a new prison doctor, four months after the last one left. The nurse said that he was the one who responded to after-hours emergencies, and transferred prisoners DJIBOUTI 00000753 002 OF 002 to the hospital if necessary. When asked if the current level of care was adequate, the nurse said that he would prefer a full-time doctor who could provide more consistent follow-up care. He also reported that there was no proper storage facility for medications. ¶7. (SBU) EmbOffs saw two rooms for sick male prisoners: one solely for tuberculosis (TB) patients, and another for prisoners with other health problems, such as asthma. According to the nurse, there were currently thirteen TB patients, and at the time, no HIV/AIDS patients. Both holding areas for sick prisoners appeared to have adequate light and ventilation, and EmbOffs were shown TB treatment cards and medication. EmbOffs were also shown one female prisoner held in separate quarters, and told that she was both a TB patient and mentally ill. -------------- NEW GUARD SERVICE -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Prison officials said they were pleased with improved budgets, and reported that they were currently receiving 25 million DJF annually (approximately USD 142,000). EmbOffs toured a large and attractive new facility adjacent to the prison, built to house barracks and offices for a new dedicated prison guard force. Prisons Director Saleh said that the new guard force would start training this month, and would eventually replace the current National Police staffing. Saleh said that the new force would be better trained and educated than the National Police. While the Ministry of the Interior administers the National Police, the new guard force will be under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, which has responsibility for the penal system. All planned 102 new hires would be required to have a high school degree, Saleh said, and some recruits who had already been hired even had two years of college. ¶9. (SBU) COMMENT: Despite some remaining shortcomings, Djibouti's prison facilities are generally very basic, but adequate and improving. The establishment of a new, more professionalized guard force will likely bring further improvement. Moreover, the GODJ's willingness to grant EmbOffs quick and comprehensive access sends a strong signal that Djibouti is open to international scrutiny of their prison system--and perhaps to international assistance in improving it. END COMMENT. WONG