In a clarification in response to allegations contained in a statement issued by the wife of the detainee that her husband “suffers from shoulder pain” and “refuses to go to the external hospital wearing the prison uniform on the pretext that it affects his dignity”, the DGAPR said that the person concerned has benefited from several internal examinations, including 26 times at the local prison Ain Bourja and 43 at that of El Arjat 2.
He also had access to seven tests and five dental examinations at the end of which he was prescribed medication appropriate to his condition, the same source noted, adding that the detainee was taken to an outside hospital on 11 occasions, wearing the prison uniform and handcuffs. These security measures apply to all residents without discrimination, said the DGAPR.
The General Delegation for the Penitentiary Administration and Rehabilitation also said that it is unnecessary for the wife of the detainee to involve the National Council for Human Rights as a constitutional and national institution in this case, explaining that this institution will not accept under any circumstances to trample the legal and regulatory provisions governing the prisons.
The General Delegation will apply the provisions relating to the operation of accompanying prisoners to external hospitals, insisted the same source, noting that these provisions relate to essential security measures.
The DGAPR added that three appointments were made at the external hospital for the prisoner in question during the following dates: 23/05/2023, 20/01/2023 and 09/05/2023, noting that the person refused to wear the prison uniform and handcuffs under the pretext that these two measures are detrimental to his dignity.
These provisions do not affect the dignity of residents of prisons and are only used to ensure the operation of their transfer to external hospitals, continued the DGAPR in its clarification.
The General Delegation also recalled that the person in question had benefited from a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which showed that he does not suffer from any problem at the shoulder and that his state of health requires a medical treatment and the respect of the prevention instructions.
