Chairperson, Committee on Human Rights and Constitutional Matters
By Ramatoulie Jawo
The National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights and Constitutional Matters noted the need to improve ventilation at detention facilities in Farafenni, Basse, Mansakonko police stations in the North Bank, Upper, and Lower River Regions.
The chairperson of the Committee, Hon. Madi M.K. Cessay said some of the detention centres visited are “very bad”, because they lack proper ventilation, especially that of Farafenni police station.
“In some instances, the absence of feeding rations for detainees in certain stations was observed as a challenge to compliance with Human Rights regulations,” he stated.
Hon. Ceesay added that most of the visited stations need to expand the air space of their detention centres adding, “because usually, onlythe front sides of the cells have small holes”.
However, he said the Drug Law Enforcement Agency’s detention centres in Kaur are “very good and conducive”.
“Our recommendations will factor that the police should liaise with the Drug Law Enforcement Agency to look at their cells, because their cells are having good ventilation and toilets as well. So, we think that the police should emulate the Drug Law Enforcement Agency,” he told this medium in a phone conversation.
Ceesay said after the tour, his committee would compile a report that will compture all the constraints in the detention centres and the report would contain recommendations.
The chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights and Constitutional Matters made these remarks as the committee continues its tour of detention facilities across the country to assess their compliance with human rights standards.