Attempted suicide and another inmate being beaten by an officer at Her Majesty’s Prison

528/2018

Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 7, 2018 – Reports of an inmate recently attempting to commit suicide at Her Majesty’s Prison.

There is also a report of an altercation between a prisoner and an officer resulting in the prisoner being wounded on the head.

According to two sources, the incidents occurred within the last two weeks.

The inmate, who attempted to commit suicide, was reportedly taken to the J.N. France General Hospital and warded at the Psychiatric Unit.

The inmate, who was reportedly beaten with a baton by the prison officer, suffered a wound to the head which took several stitches.

The two incidents come in the wake of recent reports of other human rights abuses including prisoners being beaten while handcuffed at Her Majesty’s Prison and to the bed at the J.N. France General Hospital.

“The inmate was beaten by the prison officer during an altercation,” said the source about the latest incident. The source could not immediately say what actually led to the officer using his baton on the inmate.

On March 21, three prison officers administered a severe beating of a shackled prisoner inside Her Majesty’s Prison. The inmate was hospitalised as a result of the beating.

An inmate who works as a cook at the Prison Farm in Nevis recently suffered severe burns while performing his duties. A vehicle which rushed him to the Alexandra Hospital in Charlestown and which was already on the hospital compound, was ordered to “return immediately” with the injured prisoner to the Prison Farm.

In February, an inmate suffered a broken leg when he received the full impact of a “scattershot bullet” fired by a prison officer, a member of the Prison Enforcement Response Team who opened fire indiscriminately.

The prisoner was rushed to the Emergency Department at the Joseph N. France General Hospital where he was treated and his leg placed in a cast.

Prison authorities have only confirmed investigations were being carried into the incidents.

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