[Onthebarricades] Prison unrest in Nigeria and globally

[Andy]

Prisoners in Nigeria have engaged in a massive uprising during an attempt to 
break out, in a prison where half the inmates are on remand.  A vicious 
repressive response left a number of prisoners dead - figures vary from 
eight to forty - and have prompted investigations by human rights groups. 
The Nigerian press put the revolt, and broader issues of prison unrest, down 
to continued human rights violations against inmates.  Several overlapping 
reports indicate there may have been other incidents including an uprising 
at a prison earlier in the month.

More prison revolts:
*  Unrest, barricades at Hamilton (US) "justice centre"

*  Riot police attack hunger protest after unrest in Trinidad prison

*  Crownsville (US) young offenders revolt

*  Small uprising at Hamblen (US) jail over food conditions

*  Youths revolt at Saudi prison, demand amnesty

*  Unrest at DeKalb (US) mental hospital

*  Death of inmate sparks revolt at Filipino refugee detention centre

*  Russia: Teen inmates revolt at Kresty prison

*  Unrest at Spartanburg (US)



http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6990411.stm

 Last Updated: Tuesday, 11 September 2007, 22:37 GMT 23:37 UK

Eight die in Nigeria 'jail-break'

Eight inmates have been killed and at least 18 people were wounded after 
hundreds of prisoners tried to break out of a jail in Nigeria, police said.
Riots broke out at Agodi jail in Oyo state as inmates protested against poor 
medical services, a jail official said.
Armed inmates held jail wardens hostage for an hour. Police opened fire 
after hundreds of prisoners attempted a mass break-out amid the rioting.
None of the prisoners managed to escape, jail officials said.
Overcrowding
State controller of prisons Mauren Omeli told Nigeria's NAN news agency she 
believed prisoners at the jail in Ibadan were rioting over fears of 
inadequate medical care.
"They thought one of them, who was hospitalised at the weekend, was dead and 
that was why they revolted this morning and damaged properties and attempted 
to escape after overpowering the officials," she said.
There are about 45,000 inmates in Nigeria - a low figure for Africa's most 
populous country, which has a population of more than 130 million.
But prison riots are relatively common in Nigeria's overcrowded jails, says 
the BBC's Alex Last in Lagos.
Most inmates have never been convicted, languishing for years in jail 
awaiting trial by the country's inefficient legal system, our correspondent 
says.
And many have already served more time in prison than if they had actually 
been found guilty of the crime of which they are accused.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/articles/2002/viewpoints/vp720092007.html

The prisoners' revolt
By Onyia Elochukwu
Posted to the Web: Thursday, September 20, 2007
Sorry, your browser does not support floating frames
THE literary icon, J.P Clark in his masterpiece, The Wives Revolt dramatized 
how the elders of oil-rich Erhuwaren village in the Urhobo area prodigiously 
apportioned to themselves the lump side of the oil windfall supposedly meant 
for the benefit of the entire community. While the women folks were left to 
their own fate, Clark also tried to capture male chauvinism and how men's 
insensitivity of the plight of the women elicited an unprecedented reaction 
that almost cost the entire village more fortune than they could imagine. 
The time frame of the drama is contemporaneous with the present situation in 
Nigeria.
The playwright as though anticipated a repeat of similar protest in our 
society however, never envisaged that such protest could in fact have 
emanated from the four walls of a prison yard. At this time the angry Agodi 
prison inmates however appear not to be asking for anything too much just 
like their women counterpart in the JP Clark's drama piece. They are not 
even asking for their own share of the oil money from the oil revenue, 
neither are they demanding for equal rights with free citizens like myself. 
Funnily, they appear to be merely asking for a better condition of living in 
their prison quarters.
 The Agodi prison riot which claimed the lives of about eight inmates in 
Ibadan is no doubt a shameful reflection of the deplorable state of many of 
the Nigerian prison facilities. At any rate, this incident simply amplifies 
the obvious fact that the sorry state of the prisons underscored the very 
intention for which the prison system was in the first place designed. The 
secluded nature of the prison environment was meant to rehab individuals' 
moral deformities and revive personality disorder of inmates with 
psychological alteration within the period of incarceration.
Unfortunately, Nigerian inmates have continued to be subjected under severe 
human indignations almost similar to what obtains in the Guantamania Bay. 
Many prisoners suffer hard beatings and psychological trauma in the hands of 
the police who are supposedly the very custodians of the inmates' rights. As 
if that is not enough the new comers usually receive severe hard knocks from 
the old inmates who will always vex their anger on the new comers as a way 
of saying welcome. It is to this extent that the prisons have become a place 
of making people even more criminal and hardened than they actually were 
before being imprisoned. The prisons therefore, instead of rehabilitating 
inmates have turned out to cause even more harm on their entire moral 
nomenclature.  One may then ask whether becoming an inmate totally 
eliminates one's status of citizenship.
Don't prisoners deserve to be treated at least with minimum civility, 
courtesy and respect? It will be a sheer cynicism of the authorities 
concerned to continue to claim ignorance to the plight of these inmates. 
Again, one may want to know: Don't the inmates deserve the right to better 
condition of living or even ask for a retouching of their prison quarters as 
Madam Speaker would graciously ask for? By the way, how much does it cost to 
build new prison facilities of international standard? At worst this will 
only gulp just about 10 per cent of Madam Speaker's N628 million stupendous 
house renovation contract.
 Be that as it may, the critical point is that the nation's prisons are 
presently in dire need of attention. There is an urgent demand for the 
overhauling of the nation's entire prison system. First of all, the Police 
should be made to define the limit of their severance offensives on 
suspects. Prison staff and other prison agencies should be made to respect 
the basic principles of prison operations and the rights of inmates even 
while in custody.
The era of 'salute the kodo' and other forms of man inhumanity to man within 
the prison confinement should be stopped. Also problem confronting the 
prison system is not far separated from the enormous problems within the 
judiciary system. The court should also help matters by treating all court 
cases with most deserved despatch. In addition the court should also find an 
alternative way of punishing accused persons and persons found guilty of 
criminal charges rather than incarcerating them for a long time since this 
appears the only means of decongesting the prisons of human over-flow.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200709140800.html

Nigeria: Journalist Beaten Senseless By Police And Guards While Covering 
Prison Riot

Reporters sans Frontières (Paris)
PRESS RELEASE
14 September 2007
Posted to the web 14 September 2007
Reporters Without Borders condemns a violent assault on Tope Abiola, the 
deputy editor of the privately-owned Nigeria Tribune daily newspaper, who 
was beaten unconscious by prison guards and police at Agadi prison in Ibadan 
(in the southwestern state of Oyo) on 11 September while trying to cover the 
aftermath of a riot by inmates.
"Nigerian journalists are often subjected to violence on the least pretext, 
without anyone ever being punished," the press freedom organisation said. 
"We call on the government to put an end to this impunity by ordering 
investigations that result in those responsible being identified and 
punished, regardless of whether they are political party activists or police 
officers."
An estimated 40 inmates were killed when guards put down a riot in Agadi 
prison on 10 September in which many detainees tried to escape. Oyo 
comptroller of prisons Maureen Omeili said no journalists would be allowed 
to visit the scene of the riot as it was an internal matter that did not 
concern the press.
Abiola was one of many journalists who nonetheless went to the prison the 
next day, arguing that such a large death toll in one of the country's 
oldest prisons could not be ignored. He was taking photos of bodies and 
trying to count them as they were being removed from the prison when police 
and guards beat him until he lost consciousness. Fellow journalists who went 
to his aid were also beaten. Abiola was hospitalised but his life is not in 
danger.
Violence against journalists also marred the 11 September inauguration of a 
new road near Ibadan by the governor of Oyo. When the ceremony was over, 
political activists blocked the road and demanded money from the governor. 
They turned on other people present, including journalists, after the 
governor fled. Gbenga Abegunde of the privately-owned Daily Independent 
newspaper was hit by several stones in the chest and a vehicle owned by 
African Independent Television, a privately-owned TV station, was destroyed 
but none of the journalists was seriously injured.
Reporters Without Borders defends imprisoned journalists and press freedom 
throughout the world. It has nine national sections (Austria, Belgium, 
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland). It has 
representatives in Bangkok, London, New York, Tokyo and Washington. And it 
has more than 120 correspondents worldwide.

http://story.malaysiasun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/b8de8e630faf3631/id/281365/cs/1/

Nigerian police stop prison riot
Malaysia Sun
Tuesday 11th September, 2007
Nigerian police have been busy settling prisoners after a riot broke out at 
Agodi jail in Oyo state, as inmates protested against poor medical services.

Eight inmates were killed and at least eighteen were wounded after hundreds 
of prisoners tried to break out of the jail.

Police opened fire during the rioting to prevent the escapes.

Armed inmates held jail wardens hostage for an hour after a rumour broke out 
that a prisoner had died in medical care over the weekend.

There are about 45,000 inmates in Nigeria, a low figure for a country with a 
population of more than 130 million.

Prison riots are relatively common in Nigeria's overcrowded jails where most 
inmates have never been convicted, waiting for years for trial by the 
country's inefficient legal system.

http://www.suntimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=553578

Inmates killed and injure in Nigerian prison riots AFP Published:Sep 01, 
2007

KANO, Nigeria - At least two prison inmates were killed and at least 20 
injured yesterday in the northern Nigerian city of Kano following violent 
clashes with wardens and police over a foiled jail break, police and health 
officials said.
"There was an attempt by inmates of the central prison to scale the walls 
and escape but wardens were able to crush the attempt and two prisoners were 
killed and some others injured", Baba Mohammed, Kano police spokesman told 
AFP, declining to give figures for the injured.
"We have received 20 inmates from the central prison who are being treated 
for various injuries", Rabiu Musa, a nurse at Kano general hospital told 
AFP.
Musa did not specify the nature of the injuries.
Baba Mohammed said the prisoners took advantage of the muslim Friday 
prayers.
"When they were brought out of their cells they started rioting, pelting 
wardens with stones and other objects but the prison officials called us and 
our men were sent in to help restore order," he continued, adding: "Some 
inmates resisted and our men had to use some measure of force to subdue 
them".
Nigerian prisons are usually squalid and overcrowded.
Earlier this month the human rights watchdog Amnesty International published 
a highly critical report and urged the government to urgently improve 
inmates' living conditions.

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=117447

Wolesi Jirga panel launches probe into jail riot
KABUL: The Lower House of Parliament has appointed a seven-member body to 
probe a recent uprising at the Pul-i-Charkhi Prison on the eastern outskirts 
of Kabul.
The riot that erupted in the third block of the jail two days back was 
allegedly put down by law-enforcement officials using intoxicating gases. 
For an assessment of the incident, the Wolesi Jirga speaker appointed a 
panel comprising members of the five house commissions.
The commission appointed by Younus Qanuni is headed by Attaullah Ludin, 
chairman of the justice panel of the lower house. Before leaving for the 
jail at 10am, he told journalists they would look into allegations that 
prisoners had been tortured.
Certain inmates, declared innocent by courts, were still languishing in the 
jail, claimed Ludin, who slammed the use of intoxicating gases as illegal. 
He promised the commission would dispassionately look into the charge 
levelled against the jail administration.
Word on the prison riot got out on Saturday, but details of the incident 
remain sketchy. A jail warden told Pajhwok Afghan News prisoners held at the 
third block gave prison officials poisonous food.
About 400 prisoners later started rioting and chanted Allah-o-Akbar (God is 
Great), he said, alleging the inmates wanted to escape but 100 Afghan 
National Army (ANA) and police personnel frustrated their attempt.
Major-General Abdul Salam Esmat, head of prisons at the Justice Ministry, 
said some prisoners on the first floor of the third block planned to go on 
strike. Police went in to maintain security, but the prisoners sprinkled the 
policemen with oil and torched blankets and cushions.
He added ANA soldiers then used anesthetic gases to put down the riot, Esmat 
explained, saying the situation was calm at the prison, housing 
approximately three thousand prisoners. Three inmates were killed and 30 
others wounded in a similar riot in February this year.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/14092007/news/news12.html

NHRC to investigate Agodi prison riot
14.09.2007
THE National Human Rights Commission will investigate the Agodi Prison riot 
in Ibadan, Oyo State, which claimed some lives. The Executive Secretary of 
the commission, Mrs. Kehinde Ajoni, said this in Abuja on Thursday when she 
visited the Comptroller General of Nigeria Prisons, Mr. Olusola Ogundipe.
Mrs. Ajoni expressed concern at the incessant jail breaks across the 
country, leading to loss of many lives and destruction of property. She said 
the commission was alarmed by the loss of lives and property at the Agodi 
Prison riot, saying she would be in Ibadan to assess the situation.
Mr. Ogundipe said what happened in Agodi Prison was like a time bomb. The 
prison, he said, had a capacity for 390 inmates but that as of September 11, 
it was being occupied by 680 inmates with over 612 of them awaiting trial.
The comptroller general disclosed that a panel had been set up to look into 
the remote and immediate causes of the incident. Meanwhile, no fewer than 
six prison inmates are now on danger list at the Casualty Department of the 
University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, following the gun shots wounds 
they received from prison warders on Tuesday.
A male doctor in the hospital told the Nigerian Tribune that the inmates 
were abandoned by the prison officials. He said some of the inmates needed 
to be operated upon but there was no money to carry out the process and the 
hospital management could not do it free of charge.
It was also gathered at the hospital that the state Comptroller of Prisons, 
Mrs. Maurine Omeili, had not visited the hospital to know the state of 
health of the injured inmates.

http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=0aac58d3-3aed-4f54-80b4-a00840698aa5

Four Face More Charges After Riot Situation At Justice Center
Reported by: Laura Hornsby
Email: laura.hornsby at wcpo.com
Last Update: 9/09 8:24 pm

Four inmates at the Hamilton County Justice Center are facing more charges 
after a riot situation on Friday.
Reports from the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office said the inmates were all 
engaged in disorderly conduct after one flooded a cell leading to at least 
one other inmate barricading himself inside a cell.
One of the inmates also threatened a corrections officer and his family.

Copyright 2007 The E.W. Scripps Co.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161201725

Riot cops quell hunger protest
Richard Charan South Bureau

Wednesday, September 12th 2007

Riot control officers were called out to crush a hunger protest by ten men 
charged with kidnapping businesswoman Samdaye Rampersad and burying her 
alive.
The crackdown came shortly after the men appeared in the Couva Magistrate's 
Court, where the preliminary enquiry into the murder is almost complete.
The men became violent and abusive, and action was taken when Court and 
Process officers asked for back-up to prevent an attempt to break out, 
police said.
Last week two murder accused prisoners escaped from the courthouse.
Relatives said the men banged on the walls of a high-security holding cell 
within the court building, begging and crying for home cooked meals.
The mother of one prisoner said: "The police are saying they tried to escape 
but it is two years now they in jail and the case almost over. Why would 
they escape now? They were just trying to get food. They didn't eat since 
breakfast."
CSU officers reported that prisoners broke the bulbs in the cell during a 
rampage, and fought other prisoners while being herded into trucks to take 
them to the Golden Grove, Arouca prison.
The protest ended when about 20 Crime Suppression Unit officers, called in 
from San Fernando, went into the cells.
A protest last November by the same prisoners triggered a response by riot 
squad officers.
Eleven men are charged with the murder of businesswoman Samdaye Rampersad.
One of them, Steve McGilvery, 24, escaped in June while being treated at the 
Mt Hope Hospital.
The kidnap/murder accused are Pernell Martin, Phillip "The Boss" Boodram, 
Kervin Williams, Vivian Clarke, Mario Grappie, Subhash Harryman, Ricky 
Singh, Bobby Sankar, Cooper Mootoo and Christopher James.
They allegedly snatched Rampersad from her shop at Petit Bourg in November 
2005.
Her body was found in a shallow grave in a sugarcane field at Claxton Bay in 
January 2006.
The men are being defended by attorneys Prakash Ramadhar, Brian Dabideen, 
Selwyn Ramlal, Keith Beckles and Ian Brooks.
State attorney Aden Stroude is prosecuting.
The enquiry was adjourned to Monday.
Two men charged with an unrelated murder escaped the Couva Court the Couva 
Magistrate's Court last week Monday, and there has been a heightened 
security presence since.
Three officers on duty at the time of the escape, have been suspended 
pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/09_14-65/TOP

Officer swung at, teen hit with Taser in riot last month


County police called frequently to behavioral treatment center
By HEATHER RAWLYK, Staff Writer
Published September 14, 2007
A riot erupted at a behavioral treatment facility in Crownsville late last 
month, resulting in a teenage boy being zapped with a Taser, a staff member's 
neck getting sliced by glass, and a county police officer being nearly 
knocked out by his own baton.
Capt. Ed Bergin, commander of the county police Western District, mentioned 
the incident at a community meeting Wednesday night. Officials didn't issue 
a news release after the riot took place and media aren't allowed to see 
reports involving officers' injuries, police said.

Just after 10 p.m. Aug. 26, the staff at the Potomac Ridge Behavioral Health 
Care residential treatment center called police and said, "These kids are 
out of control," according to court documents. It was the 41st time county 
police had been called to assist staff members at the facility in a year, 
said Sgt. Sara Schriver, a county police spokesman.

At least six officers went to the center, at 15 Romig Drive, and found 28 
juvenile residents of the facility attacking staff members, yelling, and 
running through the hallways.

Police walked upstairs and headed to the east wing of the two-story brick 
building off Generals Highway, but couldn't get through - a 17-year-old girl 
was standing in their way and refused to move, police said.

Officer David Stallings tried to move the girl aside, according to court 
documents, and the teen came back in a "fighting stance" and yelled, "Don't 
push me!" The officer grabbed her and tried to take her to the ground, but 
he lost control of the girl and dropped his baton in the process.

The teen grabbed the baton, which was extended and locked in "striking 
position," and tried to take a swing at the officer's head. But before she 
could make contact a second officer jumped in and knocked the weapon from 
her hands. The girl kept fighting, kicking and punching at Officer Stallings 
before she was handcuffed, said Sgt. Schriver.

The teen, identified as Shantay Allen, was charged as an adult with 
first-and second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, said Sgt. Schriver.

A few minutes after police arrived at the center, the riot began to slow 
down, according to documents. The staff gave the residents their medications 
and sent them to their rooms.

Police said all was quiet until a 17-year-old boy ran out of his room with a 
large glass cologne bottle in his hand.
He yelled something that officers couldn't understand and then threw the 
bottle at the staff and police. The bottle missed the group and smashed 
against a wall, sending pieces of glass through the air, according to court 
documents.

The glass hit staff member Vanessa Graham and sliced her neck and face. It's 
not clear how seriously she was injured.

Staff members ran at the teen, who had his fists raised and was ready to 
fight back, according to the documents. The crew held him down, but the boy 
refused to calm down.

Officer T. Baldwin said he was standing by and was afraid officers and staff 
members would be injured in the struggle.

He said he pulled a Taser out of his holster and projected a red dot onto 
the teen, documents show. He ordered the boy to calm down, but the teen kept 
fighting. So Officer Baldwin used the Taser on him, causing the teen to stop 
fighting and lie still on the ground.

After being subdued with the Taser, the boy followed police orders and 
rolled over onto his stomach. He was taken by ambulance to Anne Arundel 
Medical Center in Parole, as is police protocol for anyone subdued by a 
Taser, said Sgt. Schriver. He was released and charged as an adult with 
first-and second-degree assault, use of a dangerous weapon with intent to 
injure, and resisting arrest. He's being re-charged as a juvenile, said 
Kristin Riggin, a spokesman for the State's Attorney's Office.

Two 17-year-old girls and a 16-year-old girl were issued juvenile citations 
after the incident for assault and disorderly conduct, Sgt. Schriver said.

She said the incident was over within 10 minutes, which "seems like a 
lifetime" to officers in such a situation. She said that luckily no officers 
required medical attention.

During the meeting Wednesday, Capt. Bergin showed concern for the 
residential treatment facility.
"It looks like they have some problems down there," he said.

"The safety of our staff and patients is of utmost concern for Potomac Ridge 
Health Care and myself," said Marie McBee, vice president of Potomac Ridge 
Behavioral Health.

Ms. McBee said about six of the 28 residents at the residential treatment 
center were causing a "significant disturbance" that night.

"Some of our children are quite traumatized," she said. "Occasionally 
certain things and behaviors will set them off. It was certainly one of 
those evenings - a series of small things occurred that culminated to a 
larger incident."
Ms. McBee said staff members had gotten residents to calm down, but police 
had already been called.
Some of the children have "law-enforcement issues" from incidents in their 
lives. They saw police and began to act aggressively.

"It escalated from there," she said.

The health care facility's residents are "seriously challenged" from 
psychiatric, behavioral and educational perspectives and participate in an 
integrated school and residential program at this facility, the Web site 
says.

http://www.volunteertv.com/home/headlines/9807717.html

Small Riot At Hamblen Jail

Posted: 12:17 AM Sep 16, 2007
Last Updated: 12:17 AM Sep 16, 2007
Reporter: Nick Bona

Morristown, Hamblen County (WVLT) -- It has been a tough week at the Hamblen 
county jail.
Corrections officers had to put one of the felony cell blocks into lock down 
this morning when a small riot broke out.
Deputies say it started just after 9:00 AM when an inmate hit a guard who 
refused to give him a second breakfast.
Hamblen County officials say about 19 inmates stomped around and attempted 
to flood the block.
They shut off water flow to the block and called in the Morristown SWAT 
team.
The disturbance ended when the SWAT team went into the block 3:00 PM.
Jailers consider the disturbance to be minor and no one was injured.
Four days ago, seven inmates over-powered a guard and escaped from the cells 
housing misdemeanor offenders.

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=7080809&nav=0RYv

Inmate's unhappiness with breakfast leads to Hamblen jail riot

September 15, 2007
By KRISTYN HENTSCHEL
6 News Reporter
MORRISTOWN (WATE) -- A dispute over what was served for breakfast led to an 
inmate uprising Saturday morning in the Hamblen County Jail.
It started when an inmate was upset that he couldn't have two servings of 
breakfast.  Officials say he punched a jailer.  From there it escalated into 
other inmates getting involved, venting their anger by flooding their jail 
cells by repeatedly flushing the toilets.
That's when Hamblen County Sheriff's officials called in about 50 people 
from various law enforcement agencies, including the Morristown SWAT team, 
Tennessee Highway Patrol and K-9s.
The inmates threatened to throw a heavy metal object and feces at officers, 
but backed off when the SWAT team and dogs arrived.
Five men identified as the ringleaders of the uprising, all who are being 
held on felonies, have been transported to jails in neighboring counties.
This is the second incident at the jail this week.  Seven inmates escaped on 
Tuesday after overpowering and beating a jailer.  All seven of those 
prisoners are back behind bars.
Both of the jailers involved in the incidents were not injured, just sore, 
but back at work.
Officials say it could take them well into the early hours of Sunday morning 
to clean up the mess.

http://www.metimes.com/storyview.php?StoryID=20070916-082517-7254r

Youths riot in Saudi jail
AFP

September 16, 2007
RIYADH --  Saudi security forces used tear gas to quell a riot at a 
rehabilitation center for youths in the Muslim holy city of Medina, 
newspapers reported Sunday.

Inmates aged 13 to 18 rioted Saturday in protest at their exclusion from a 
royal pardon granted to a number of prisoners by King Abdullah, to mark the 
Muslim holy month of Ramadan that started Thursday, Al Watan and Al Medina 
said.

Al Medina said seven youths were slightly hurt while smashing equipment at 
the center, which houses a total of 109 inmates held for various offenses. 
Two of the youths were accused of inciting others to stage the riot, Al 
Watan said.

Pardons to limited numbers of prisoners are often granted by Muslim leaders 
on major religious and other occasions, notably Ramadan during which Muslims 
abstain from food, drink, smoking, and sex from dawn to dusk.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/health/stories/2007/09/18/mental_0919.html

Mental unit needed cops to end teens' 'riot'
Takeover at state hospital occurred days before Justice Department 
investigators visited.

By ALAN JUDD, ANDY MILLER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/19/07
Teenage patients broke furniture, smashed windows and attacked staff members 
while taking control of the adolescent unit at the state mental hospital in 
DeKalb County on Sept. 8.
DeKalb police carrying nightsticks quelled the uprising after breaking 
through a barricade erected by the psychiatric patients, according to people 
familiar with the episode, which also was described in state records and 
police reports.
One patient received minor injuries, authorities said. Staff members at 
Georgia Regional Hospital/Atlanta, vastly outnumbered, wrestled with several 
patients, and an officer on the facility's internal police force was almost 
hit in the head with a chair.
The episode occurred as hospital officials prepared for a visit by 
investigators for the U.S. Justice Department. The agency is investigating 
whether conditions at Georgia Regional and at the six other state-run 
psychiatric hospitals violate patients' civil rights. The investigators 
arrived at Georgia Regional on Monday.
The federal investigation began in response to articles in The Atlanta 
Journal-Constitution detailing questionable deaths and dangerous conditions 
in the state hospitals. The initial article in the series, "A Hidden Shame," 
focused on 14-year-old Sarah Elizabeth Crider, who died last year on the 
same adolescent unit where the recent disturbance occurred.
The newspaper reported that from 2002 through 2006, at least 115 patients at 
the seven hospitals had died under suspicious circumstances, including from 
neglect, abuse or poor medical care - situations exacerbated by chronic 
overcrowding and understaffing. Those conditions also apparently contributed 
to the incident at Georgia Regional, four hospital employees said.
"Riot may be the most accurate way to describe what happened," a Georgia 
Regional physician said this week. Like others who had reviewed the episode, 
the physician asked not to be identified by name because officials had not 
authorized hospital employees to speak publicly.
Gwen Skinner, director of the mental health division of the Georgia 
Department of Human Resources, which operates the state hospitals, disputed 
the physician's characterization. Skinner also said hospital workers did not 
lose control of the unit during the episode. However, she said state 
officials are conducting an investigation.
The evening of the disturbance, a Saturday, the adolescent unit housed two 
dozen patients, employees said: 17 boys and seven girls, segregated on 
parallel halls. Two technicians worked on each hall, and two nurses 
supervised both the boys and the girls.
Two boys, both of whom had been committed to the hospital for psychiatric 
evaluation to determine their competency to stand trial, got into a fight, 
hospital employees said. One technician tried to restrain the assailant; the 
other held the victim.
With the two nurses working inside a locked, glass-enclosed office, the 
other 15 boys were left unattended.
In a spree that lasted at least 50 minutes, six patients engaged in 
"aggressive destructive behavior," according to an internal report prepared 
by the hospital's risk management director. State officials released the 
report Tuesday after the Journal-Constitution filed a request under the 
state's Open Records Act.
"Tables and chairs were thrown across the room" in an effort to break into 
the nurses' office, the report said. Then, in an escape attempt, three 
patients "kicked and body slammed" a secure door that leads into a lobby 
that separates the boys' and girls' halls, the report said. In the lobby, 
the patients broke tables and cabinets and tried to burst through an 
exterior door.
Unable either to get outside or into the girls' hall, the patients used 
broken furniture to barricade the exterior door, trapping the two nurses and 
two technicians inside, employees said.
"At this point," the physician said, "the unit was under the control of the 
kids."
At least two hospital employees dialed 911, DeKalb police records indicate. 
One reported the staff could not handle "uncontrolled juveniles" and that 
the lone facility police officer was "unable to detain all the juveniles." 
The other caller said patients were trying to escape and that one had scaled 
a fence surrounding the hospital campus.
Over six tense minutes, the first caller gave the 911 operator a picture of 
escalating turmoil. At 6:26 p.m., patients were "attempting to break down 
door," the operator recorded. At 6:28, there were "17 male patients in the 
halls" and "doors busted open." At 6:29, "lobby is not contained." At 6:32, 
"patients running in the lobby throwing tables," and the hospital "does not 
have staff to contain them."
Police officers burst through the barricaded exterior door, employees said, 
and rounded up the patients. Wielding nightsticks but without drawing their 
firearms, the officers forced the patients face down on the floor.
Officials moved one patient to a state juvenile justice facility and another 
to a different unit at the hospital, Skinner said. The others remained on 
the adolescent unit.
With the Justice Department investigation intensifying, officials have been 
moving state hospital patients to two private facilities in Atlanta - Anchor 
and Peachford hospitals - to ease overcrowding. Under a temporary contract, 
the private hospitals will be paid $620 per patient, per day.
Matt Crouch, Peachford's chief executive, said Tuesday that the two 
hospitals, both operated by Pennsylvania-based Universal Health Services, 
together are accepting an average of about two state patients a day, both 
adults and adolescents. The patients have come from two hospitals: Georgia 
Regional/Atlanta and West Central Georgia Regional in Columbus, he said.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=90422

Discovery of dead female Vietnamese in BI jail sparks riot
By Julie M. Aurelio
Inquirer
Last updated 07:09pm (Mla time) 09/24/2007
MANILA, Philippines -- Inmates at the Bureau of Immigration (BI) detention 
facility on Monday morning staged a short riot, throwing rocks and bottles 
after a female Vietnamese national was found dead in an isolation cell, a 
police official.
The naked body of Teh Min Lee Dien, a Vietnamese national, was found at 
10:45 a.m. Monday without signs of any injury, bruise, hematoma or any foul 
play.
Chief Inspector Celso Rodriguez, chief of the Taguig City police 
investigation division, said the victim was detained at the isolation cell 
for apparent misconduct.
Dien was last seen alive by a catering helper, Loreta Abacial, at 7 a.m. 
Monday. The victim even asked for her usual supply of cigarettes.
Initial investigation showed Dien was formerly detained at the Bureau of 
Corrections in Muntinlupa City but was granted parole in May 2007.
However, she was committed to the BI detention facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, 
Taguig City for lack of valid immigration papers.
Upon discovery of the body, the foreigners detained at the facility grew 
restless and violent, throwing rock and stones.
Some of the glass panels and jalousies were broken during the short-lived 
riot as policemen from the Regional Special Action Unit were eventually able 
to control the inmates.
Rodriguez added that since Dien was in isolation, no one was able to see how 
she died on Monday.
The victim's body is currently at the Veronica Funeral Homes pending an 
autopsy.

http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=23112

Teenage Inmates Stage Riot in Kresty Prison
By Irina Titova
Staff Writer

Alexander Belenky / The St. Petersburg Times
A riot among juvenile detainees broke out on Friday at Kresty prison, 
pictured from the opposite shore of the Neva River.
A riot of teenage inmates in the city's remand center Friday was a so-called 
"test of strength" for new authorities at the center, known colloquially as 
Kresty, the city's Federal Correctional Service Department or FCSD said on 
Monday.
"Criminal structures wanted to check the new head of Kresty for strength," 
Interfax quoted Eduard Petrukhin, deputy head of FCSD, as saying.
A criminal case under article 321 of the Russian Criminal Code has been 
opened, Petrukhin said.
He said the FCSD managed "to calm down teenagers with the help of words" 
because the FCSD doesn't have the right to use weapons against them.
A group of 17 teenagers held in Kresty started the riot to demand a 
relaxation of rules, particularly rules about the examination of parcels.
The riot began unexpectedly when a group of teenage inmates went for a walk. 
Suddenly two young men began breaking the locks in the yard. Others followed 
their example and also began breaking locks in other yards, Fontanka.ru 
reported.
Two inspectors tried to calm down the teenagers. However, stones and pieces 
of bricks were thrown and an inspector sustained a head wound.
The rioters climbed the roof and waved linen that other inmates passed them 
from the cells.
The FSCD called for OMON special forces officers who then arrived. However, 
the FSCD did not use them as they had then managed to peacefully solve the 
problem after 2 hours of negotiations.
Meanwhile, Vladimir Malenchuk, head of the city's FCSD, said "the demands of 
the teenagers were absolutely illegal," Interfax said.
They demanded permission to play soccer, have dumb-bells and barbells in 
their cells, and receive unchecked parcels with cigarettes.
Malenchuk said Kresty's new authorities have tightened the center's regime.
During the last three weeks officers seized about 200 mobile phones from 
parcels containing canned food, Malenchuk said.
He said five of the 17 teenagers that took part in the riot are being kept 
in Kresty for very serious charges. The three of them are skinheads, and one 
of them is charged with the murder of a 10-year-old boy, he said. He added 
that four of the most active protesters might be taken to a different remand 
center.
Adult criminal leaders provoked the riot, Malenchuk said.
Sergei Khudorozhnikov, head of Kresty, said the actions were provoked by 
criminal leaders at large.
"Someone was trying to attract attention to himself," Khudorozhnikov said. 
He said Kresty authorities have information that a hunger strike is being 
prepared in Kresty. However, he said the hunger strike would not take place 
on a large scale.
"From our information, only adults will take part in the action but not all 
of them," he said.
He said if needed Kresty will use force and special means, as well as 
special forces units, to prevent the hunger strike.

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20070925/NEWS/709250328/1051/NEWS01

31 inmates charged in riot at crowded county jail
By Rachel E. Leonard
Published: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 | Updated: 8:55 am

Thirty-one inmates were charged with inciting a riot Saturday at the 
Spartanburg County Detention Facility. Jail Director Larry Powers said no 
one was injured in the disturbance, which occurred about 7:50 p.m., except 
for one inmate who was pepper-sprayed.
Four inmates remained in holding cells Monday.
The remaining 27 are being confined to their cells 24 hours a day, for now, 
and being fed only sandwiches to prevent food from being thrown throughout 
the cells or trays being turned into makeshift weapons, Powers said.
Dinner served too slow
The activity took place inside inmates' cells in Pod 3, an all-male unit. A 
review of the incident showed inmates began complaining that a detention 
officer unfairly confined them to their cells and was slow in serving 
dinner, Powers said. They began cursing at the guard and threatening to beat 
him, beating and kicking doors and stopping up commodes and sinks, causing 
flooding, according to an incident report.
The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office's SWAT unit was called in to help 
calm the situation, Powers said.
Officers overwhelmed
Powers said overcrowding at the jail was a contributing factor to the 
disturbance. Pod 3, which has 48 cells designed for a maximum of 88 people, 
housed 166 inmates Saturday. Officers are overwhelmed, and inmates are 
frustrated about having to sleep on mattresses placed on the floor, longer 
waits for meals at the jail's canteen and reduced telephone time, he said.
"The officers are doing the best they can to keep up, but it's just real 
difficult for them," he said.
According to grievance forms, multiple inmates complained they were placed 
on lockdown for no reason and that the guard in charge of the pod was 
"teasing" inmates and taking cigarette breaks instead of feeding them 
dinner.
The detention facility and annexes, designed with a capacity of 586 inmates, 
housed 951 men and women Monday. At one point this summer, it topped 1,000.