By Mustapha Sesay
A local human rights organisation, Prison Watch says “the presidential prerogative of mercy completely marginalised female prisoners as only 4 of them were pardoned" to mark this year's independence.
Its director, Mambu Feika, told journalists in Freetown that there were over 100 female inmates countrywide, “therefore it was unfathomable for only 4 of them to be released while over 100 of their male counterparts were pardoned”.
He went on to say that president Ernest Bai Koroma had said a lot about prioritising women's issues but that the recent releases were not in sync with that.
He called on government to do more to attain their objective, adding that there were 25 female inmates on trial among whom 13 were without indictments and a total of 19 female inmates were on remand.
He said there were also no children among those released, arguing that “they too are human and children’s rights are human rights”. He urged that the president had set aside June 16, the Day of the African Child, to grant the same prerogative of mercy to children in detention.
(C) Politico 01/05/14
