Thursday , 28 March 2024
enfrit
A certain score of political prisoners is still expecting the release pledged earlier. Still, the new ruling power keeps on turning every amnesty down, although some of these convicts’ health is seriously deteriorating.

Political prisoners still ignored by the ruling power

According to the daily newspaper Midi Madagasikara: “To date, there are still 14 prisoners held behind bars on purely political charges. Most of them were military officers taken to custody for being charged in the BANI, FIGN, RFI cases, as well as the raid launched on the VIVA radio station’s facilities in 2009. Some of these detainees have gone sick in their custody, namely Lt Colonel Coutiti Assolant, held in observation at the military hospital of Soavinandriana for several months so far, Sgt Manou Soja, struck in the detention center of Tsiafahy by a cerebral vascular attack. The latter might be granted special measures, according the spokesman of the political prisoners, for the Red Cross would have accepted to take charge, although it has not yet been cleared, whether he will be treated inside or outside the maximum security detention center of Tsiafahy. The request for a transfer to the prison of Antanimora is still expecting an answer from the administration. At any rate, the members of the “Maherifon’ny firenena 2009” association firmly stick to their request of the release of those political prisoners. They intend to lead a street demonstration before long in order to step up pressure over the ruling power.