EG invites rights group
2005-04-18 22:34
Malabo - Equatorial Guinea has invited human rights group Amnesty International to come and see for itself if inmates are starving to death in Black Beach Prison as the organisation has alleged, the country's national radio reported on Monday.
"The accusations by Amnesty International on the situation of prisoners in Equatorial Guinea are false and unfounded and we reject them," said Angel Masie Mibuy, the country's minister of justice, in a statement read on national radio.
Masie Mibuy also extended an invitation for the organisation to come visit Equatorial Guinea and see for itself.
"We recognise the prestige and credibility of Amnesty International, but we are hugely worried when it makes unfounded allegations on facts which have not been previously observed in Equatorial Guinea," said the minister.
Amnesty is alleging that jailers at Black Beach Prison have stopped providing at least 70 prisoners with meals and blocked all contact with their families, lawyers and consular officials in the past six weeks.
A large number of the prisoners - including five South Africans - are already weak from torture, untreated illnesses and general lack of care, claimed the London-based human rights group.
'A scandalous failure'
"Such near-starvation, lack of medical attention and appalling prison conditions represent a scandalous failure by the Equatorial Guinea authorities to fulfil their most-basic responsibilities under international law," said the director of Amnesty's Africa programme, Kolawole Olaniyan.
"Unless immediate action is taken, many of those detained at Black Beach Prison will die."
Last week, Equatorial Guinea's president's office called Amnesty International a faceless organisation made up of people with undeclared aims.