THERE are conflicting reports surrounding activities at the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre in Spanish Town, with the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) denying reports of a hunger strike and abuse of prisoners although human rights group Stand Up for Jamaica (SUFJ) has confirmed protests in some sections of the penal facility.

The Jamaica Observer yesterday reported that inmates at the facility have refused to eat and are currently on strike in direct response to what they claim is an “upsurge in warder harassment” over the Christmas holidays.

Reports to the Observer were that the alleged “harassment and abuse” of prisoners were in response to the killing of a warder at the facility last month.

However, in a statement from the DCS yesterday, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of National Security Senator Matthew Samuda described reports in mainstream and untraditional media as “rumours and unfortunate mischief-making as it relates to reports of a hunger strike and prison fracas” at the facility.

“I have instructed Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services Dr Marc Thomas to invite representatives of INDECOM [Independent Commission of Investigations] and the Office of the Public Defender to visit the institution, undertake independent investigations, and inform the public of their findings, urgently,” said Samuda.

He noted that information provided to him by officers of the DCS indicates that investigations will be conducted by “the relevant investigative arms of the State [and] their pronouncements are expected to dispel the misinformation in the public domain”.

But according to SUFJ, which said it has taken note of the allegations of inmate abuse at the prison, its attorney has documented reports of harassment and abuse from prisoners, following a visit to the facility between Monday and yesterday.

The group is calling for an immediate investigation into the events that have allegedly transpired.

In a statement yesterday, SUFJ said it is very disheartening to learn that during the Christmas period inmates were being subjected to abuse.

“Being in prison at Christmas without the opportunity to communicate with or be visited by family is already a difficult and isolating consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic that inmates have had to be dealing with, and as such, it is very alarming that some warders would want to create further sadness and misery for persons who are already suffering so much behind bars,” the statement said.

Since mid-March, in an attempt to prevent the further spread of the novel coronavirus, all contact between inmates and family has been discontinued, in keeping with DCS and the Ministry of Health and Wellness protocols.

“This means also that since March, inmates are isolated without being able to see their families and their children, as it usually happens on Christmas Day. Our attorney visited the institution… and collected several reports which talk about severe beatings, batons used to evict inmates from their cells during the nights and destruction of personal belongings. Some blocks are on hunger strike and inmates do not come out from their cells.

“SUFJ stands in [reminding] everybody about inmates’ rights and the need to keep a professional behaviour and calls for swift action to be taken against the correctional officers who have been involved in the reports of abuse. We have contacted INDECOM, as we consider such episodes a serious matter and believe they will receive the full attention of the Department of Corrections,” the SUFJ statement said.

The Observer contacted INDECOM yesterday but was told that the watchdog had not received any report from inmates.

It said, however, that it would be investigating the allegations in the media.