The POA trade union for workers in Britain’s prison and detention system has written to Colombia’s Ministry of Justice over the current humanitarian situation in Colombian prisons, where chronic overcrowding and a lack of medical and sanitary facilitates have severely exacerbated the coronavirus pandemic. More than 300 prisoners have been infected in just one prison, where there have also been at least three deaths.
In addition to requesting urgent measures to protect staff and inmates, the POA urged the Colombian government to release 158 FARC former guerrillas who remain incarcerated despite the inclusion of an amnesty bill in the 2016 peace agreement.
Click on the link below to read or download the full letter.