Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1424528
Annalise Ebejer is a member of Moviment Graffitti Analise Ebeher 12 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 31 OCTOBER 2021 OPINION IT is about time that we reim- agine what prisons can do and what they stand for. Prisons should be an opportunity for rehabilitation, where prisoners can heal and be provided with education, so they have a better chance at life once leaving pris- on. It may sound Utopian, but many Scandinavian countries have successfully transformed their prisons to rehabilitation centres. Malta's prison condi- tions have been described as "hellish", and "nightmarish" whereas Scandinavian prisons are more like a home, with an emphasis on treating prisoners with respect and dignity. Yet it's the latter countries that enjoy low rates of recidivism, while Malta's rate sits at 70%. To com- pare, the world average is 50%. This is the vision that Move- ment Graffitti continuously strives for: "to achieve a holistic reform of the penitentiary sys- tem into one that supports reha- bilitation". Malta's correctional facilities are far from said vision. There is a lack of basic sanitary facilities so some inmates are forced uri- nate in a bag or small hole in the ground which can be blocked by other inmates due to small cell space. Most cells don't have fans, even with record high tempera- tures in Malta. In short, cells are overcrowded, grey and airless. Additionally, the prison is ruled over with an iron fist by prison director, Alexander Dalli whose tenure has seen record numbers of deaths and suicide attempts. The Council of Europe statistics outline that Maltese prisons had the highest suicide rates on the continent in 2019 and 2020. Under Dalli, solitary confine- ment has become widely used even for small mistakes. Alleg- edly, a restrictive chair has been introduced to humiliate pris- oners and dehumanise them, sometimes tying them up naked for hours. The pandemic is even being used as an excuse to stop all education programmes with no indication of when they will be reinstated. Who would have thought that around the corner of a popular shopping mall such atrocities would be taking place so close to the rest of Maltese society? Why should we care, anyway? We should care because Mal- ta's prisons are in breach of hu- man rights: the right to adequate food, water, shelter and the space to spend time with loved ones whilst serving sentences. Most of the time, these rights are nowhere close to being pri- oritised. There is also the financial as- pect. Taxpayer money is indi- rectly funding brutality instead of ensuring that recidivism rates go down with a good rehabilita- tion plan. Human rights are fundamental to a free and democratic coun- try. This is why Movement Graffitti formed a working group, earlier this year, that focuses on prisons' issues. Through the prison hot- line, they offer support for those affected by the prison system and work closely with inmates' families and ex-inmates. They are being aided by Andrew Az- zopardi, Dean of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, and journalist Peppi Azzopardi. Thanks to this collaboration, and another with KSU, issues on prisons are being highlighted in the media and de- bated in public. Somehow, despite these sto- ries, including the tragic suicides of Kim Borg and Colin Galea in the past two months, the gov- ernment still refuses to hold Dalli accountable. Dalli is still supported by the Minister for Home Affairs, By- ron Camilleri, and there have even been instances where both him and Prime Minister Robert Abela, have publicly defended him. They are defending a man who has literally threatened inmates with guns to their heads. Currently, there is an inquiry being carried out by the govern- ment to assess the mental health of inmates at Corradino Correc- tional Facility, mainly suicide prevention measures. However, the board has asked for an ex- tension of two further months. Additionally, a case of involun- tary homicide concerning Kim Borg's suicide has been opened. Yet both these actions seem fu- tile, with the former proving nothing and the latter failing to point fingers at the true culprit- the system itself and Dalli at its head. Movement Graffitti is to mon- itor the situation and publicise any relevant findings on social media. Furthermore, we are working to publish this research, which has caught the eyes of prominent organisations, such as the United Nations and the Council of Europe. The long- term aim is to obtain findings on the current prison state and im- plement ways to minimise dam- age and focus on rehabilitation. The short-term, more impor- tant goal, is to remove Dalli from any position of influence at Cor- radino. People can help support this movement by attending en masse any direct actions and press conferences to put pres- sure on the government to re- form the prison immediately. Moreover, the public is encour- aged to share any material that Moviment Graffitti has, espe- cially that opposing Dalli's ad- ministration and his supporters. We can no longer pretend this is an issue that effects only in- mates. This is a pressing issue that shows the government's failure to support citizens who are worthy of dignity and re- spect regardless of their impris- onment. Especially, when keeping in mind that it is primarily the working-class, the poor and the immigrants who are the most affected by the prison system, who have already been failed by society's inaptness to provide them the right environment to throve in. This reflects badly on us as a country, particularly if we continue to allow this horror to unfold in front of us. Towards a better rehabilitation system