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Prisoners' Rights in Malawi Since Independence: 1964 to 2005. Edition No. 1
VDM Publishing House, Nov 2010, Pages: 64
This book begins with a look at the evolution of Malawi Prison Service since the British colonial rule. It then focuses on human rights situation in prisons from independence (1964) through one party rule to multi-party dispensation (1994 to 2005). The book argues that during the one party era prisoners were subjected to torture, brutal treatments, or even killed. Female prisoners suffered sexual abuse and rape, some of which resulted in pregnancies. The book further argues that although some scholars brand a period from 1964 to 1994 with negativity, they fail to recognize that essential needs of prisoners were met, because they concentrated their work on political prisoners and not the general prison population. The book also argues that stakeholders in ‘prison reform' during multiparty era have concentrated their efforts on civic educating inmates on their rights, encouraging prison officers to observe human rights, and offering paralegal services, while ignoring very important areas such as provision of accommodation, food and health care, which also constitute rights of prisoners. The prison is also yet to fully change from being a punitive centre to a reformatory institution.
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