URGENT ACTION APPEAL UPDATE
---------------------------------- 26 January 2005 Further Information on UA 08/05 issued 13 January 2005 Harsh prison conditions/ Death Penalty/ Torture and Ill treatment TANZANIA: At least 15 prisoners on death row The hunger strike by at least 15 death row prisoners in Ukonga maximum security prison in Dar es Salaam has come to an end. Amnesty International has now learnt that the hunger strike began on or around 16 December 2004, not 3 January 2005 as stated earlier. The prisoners were reportedly protesting against harsh prison conditions, namely a poor prison diet and being severely beaten whilst being held in overcrowded cells. After the prisoners had written to the Tanzanian President, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Commission for Human Rights and Governance, the [central] prison authorities reportedly formed an inquiry team to investigate their claims. The hunger strike came to an end after the prisoners met with the inquiry team who provided assurances of improvements in their prison conditions and diet. The inquiry team, however, denied there was any evidence to support the allegations of ill-treatment and torture. Ukonga prison holds more than 3,000 inmates. Of these, 90 have been held under sentence of death for up to 20 years after courts found them guilty of murder. Many say their appeals have not been heard and some of them are no longer visited by relatives who think that they have been executed. Amnesty International is not aware of any changes in their circumstances. Many thanks who took action on this case: Please send a final round of appeals to arrive as quickly as possible: - noting that the hunger strike of death row prisoners in Ukonga maximum security prison in Dar es Salaam has come to an end; - enquiring about details of improvements the prisons authorities are now reportedly making to the prison conditions of death row prisoners; - asking for information about improvements to conditions of the 90 prisoners held in Ukonga prison under the sentence of death for more that 20 years; - urging the authorities to allow death row prisoners regular access to their families, legal representatives, humanitarian organisations, visiting justices, and faith representatives; - renewing appeals for commutation of these and all other death sentences in Tanzania on the grounds that the death penalty is a violation of the right to life and of the right to be free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. APPEALS TO: His Excellency Benjamin Mkapa President of the United Republic of Tanzania P.O. Box 9120 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Fax: 011 255 22 211 3425 Salutation: Your Excellency Mr Ramadhani Mapuri Minister of Home Affairs Ministry of Home Affairs P.O. Box 9223 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Fax: 011 255 22 211 8223 Salutation: Dear Minister COPIES TO: Mr Bakari Mwapachu Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ministry of Justice P.O. Box 9050 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Fax: 011 255 22 211 3236 Salutation: Dear Minister Commissioner of Prisons Prisons Department P O Box 9190 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Salutation: Dear Commissioner Ambassador Andrew Mhando Daraja Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania 2139 R St. NW Washington DC 20008 Email: [email protected] Fax: 1 202 797 7408 Please send appeals immediately. Check with the Colorado office between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, Mountain Time, weekdays only, if sending appeals after March 9, 2005. Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights. This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you for your help with this appeal. Urgent Action Network Amnesty International USA PO Box 1270 Nederland CO 80466-1270 Email: [email protected] http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/ Phone: 303 258 1170 Fax: 303 258 7881 ---------------------------------- END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL ----------------------------------
