Prison incident in Saint-Marc sparks call for thorough investigation

GONAIVES — Three weeks following the deadly unrest at Saint-Marc civil prison, which resulted in at least 16 fatalities, 11 serious injuries (including three police officers), 10 escapes, and extensive damage to seven cells, the human rights organization Fondasyon Je Klere (FJKL) has demanded a thorough investigation. FJKL is pressing the General Inspectorate of the Haitian National Police (IGPNH) and the Directorate of the Judiciary Police (DCPJ) to undertake both administrative and criminal inquiries to reveal the circumstances surrounding what it has termed “the carnage” at Saint-Marc prison.

In a report published on Tuesday, Fondasyon Je Klere (FJKL) disputed the official narrative of an escape attempt at the Saint-Marc civil prison, suggesting instead that the violence stemmed from a protest by inmates demanding food after a shortage caused by the prison guards’ strike. FJKL alleged that inmates were assassinated inside their cells.

FJKL challenged the official account of the incident, which described it as an escape attempt. Instead, the organization argued that the violence resulted from a protest by inmates demanding food after experiencing shortages due to a strike by prison guards.

“There was no escape attempt. There was no intervention by an external force to try to free prisoners, nor were there armed prisoners inside the prison to confront the police,” the report noted.

“As the situation calmed down, armed individuals, accompanying government commissioner Venson François, who arrived on the scene, executed prisoners inside their cells,” the organization said.

“The massacre perpetrated at the Saint-Marc civil prison on August 16,  2024, is an abusive use of

armed force to suppress a protest by starving prisoners through a wildcat strike by

prison officers to demand payment of their risk bonuses,” FJKL wrote.

The human rights group’s account suggests that the death toll may be higher than reported, with local sources indicating as many as 19 prisoners killed. 

According to Saint-Marc Police Commissioner Jude Jean Chéry, the incident unfolded early in the morning of Aug.16 as prisoners, reportedly agitated by a strike by prison guards over unpaid salaries, seized the opportunity to overpower guards during their morning escort to the showers. The unrest quickly escalated into a violent clash, leaving parts of the prison in flames and several firearms missing.

 “There was no escape attempt. There was no intervention by an external force to try to free prisoners, nor were there armed prisoners inside the prison to confront the police.”

Human Rights Organization Fondasyon Je Klere

During an interview with The Haitian Times, Commissioner Chéry confirmed the details of the escape attempt and the ensuing violence. 

The incident is part of a broader pattern of instability within the Haitian prison system, plagued by overcrowding and long pretrial detentions. This is the third reported prison escape in Haiti this year, following a significant incident in March at the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince and the evasion in central Croix-des-Bouquets prison, where gangs released approximately 4,000 detainees.

Chéry expressed support for an investigation into the incident but dismissed allegations of prisoner assassinations within the prison. He emphasized the need for clarity and transparency to address the underlying issues within the prison system.

The Saint-Marc incident underscores longstanding security and operational issues in Haiti’s prisons, including overcrowding, poor conditions, and potential corruption among prison staff. It continues to highlight a pattern of mass escapes and security failures nationwide.

Like many others in Haiti, the Saint-Marc prison has been severely overcrowded, housing nearly 500 inmates during the unrest. The conditions within the prison have been dire, with many inmates awaiting trial for extended periods due to the broken judicial system. This overcrowding and the prolonged pre-trial detentions likely fueled more desperation among inmates.

In late 2014, the same  Saint-Marc civil prison experienced a significant security breach and negligence, resulting in the escape of 34 prisoners. A detainee smuggled a metal cutting saw into the prison, which was used to cut through the bars. Additionally, the noise of the sawing was masked by the prisoners beating drums for several hours. This negligence points to a need for proper oversight and control within the prison. In the same year, 329 prisoners had escaped a newly built Croix-des-Bouquets prison.

The Saint-Marc civil prison has been in more disarray and consistently overcrowded, particularly since 2004, when the Gonaives prison, which used to be the largest detention center in the Artibonite Department, was destroyed during the rebellion against former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. 

Calls for reconstructing the largest prison center in the department have yet to be answered. The ongoing challenges highlight the urgent need for reform and investment in Haiti’s correctional infrastructure.

The post Prison incident in Saint-Marc sparks call for thorough investigation appeared first on The Haitian Times.

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Prison incident in Saint-Marc sparks call for thorough investigation was first posted on September 6, 2024 at 9:45 am.