The Department of Human Rights of the Medical College expressed concern about the situation of the coronavirus pandemic in Prisons in Chile and warned that the progression of the virus “has evolved in an out-of-control health situation, which threatens to aggravate the existing public health problem”.
Through a statement, they noted that since the first week of April “to date our National and Regional Human Rights Departments, have made visits to 5 Prison Centers (Puente Alto, Valparaiso, La Serena, Santiago Sur [ex Penitenciaría] Valdivia); these venues bring together approximately 10,522 inmates, making up approximately 25% of the country’s total criminal population.”
They stress that they have carried out various efforts and held meetings with the Ministry of Justice and the Director of Gendarmerie. They further state that “the Ministry of Health has been informed by various means, requesting urgent assistance, with no timely response so far”.
They warn that in failing to control the coronavirus outbreak in prisons, a number of scenarios are expected. One of them is the “loss of more lives in inmates and staff of Gendarmerie, by direct effect of COVID-19, causing alarm and out of control of the penal population”.
They also foresee a possible collapse of the public health network by emergency care in critical beds, as well as “protests inside and outside prisons that cause acts of violence and loss of life (riots, hostage-taking, escape attempts, etc.)”.
“The State has a legal obligation to ensure the health of prisoners, all public servants and the community as a whole. Failure to comply with this obligation does not exempt you from facing all responsibilities arising from your actions by action or omission,” the release ends.
