Wed Sep 25 08:00:28 UTC 2024: ## DRC Releases Over 1,600 Inmates from Notorious Makala Prison Amid Overcrowding Crisis
**Kinshasa, DRC** – In a major step to address chronic overcrowding and following a deadly jailbreak earlier this month, authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have released over 1,685 “seriously ill” inmates from Makala Prison, one of the country’s most notorious penitentiaries.
The release began on Sunday, just weeks after 129 prisoners perished in an attempted escape. The government pledged to expedite its decongestion efforts in response to the tragedy, citing appalling conditions within the prison, which have been described as “true hell.”
Images released by the Justice Ministry show the dire state of many released inmates, including emaciated individuals with open wounds and visible signs of malnutrition. One photo depicts a man in a wheelchair with dirty bandages covering his leg.
In a video, a prisoner who appears unable to stand expresses his remorse and vows to change his life, praising Justice Minister Constant Mutamba for the release.
Minister Mutamba confirmed that inmates requiring medical attention would receive treatment, while others would be transported home on government-provided buses. He previously ordered the release of hundreds of inmates from Makala and has banned the transfer of new prisoners to the facility.
Despite the significant release, local NGO head Emmanuel Adu Cole of the Bill Clinton Foundation for Peace, which advocates for improved prison conditions, stated that more needs to be done to address the systemic issues within the prison system.
Kinshasa, a city of over 14 million, currently houses only two prisons: Makala and the military prison of N’dole, which has an official capacity of only 500 inmates.
First Piper 