Justice Department reports four prison officials for mistreating a Lledoners inmate
The department puts the matter in the hands of the prosecutor's office and removes suspends two officials
BarcelonaThe Justice Department has reported four prison officials to the Office of the Attorney General for an alleged case of abuse of a prisoner. They are workers at Lledoners prison, two of whom are assigned to prison isolation - the special closed regime department (DERT) - while the other two are heads of service. According to the department, all the evidence seems to point towards two heads of service authorising and witnessing an unjustified full search and immobilisation of the inmate by the two other workers. This happened just before the prisoner was transferred to Mas d'Enric prison. When he arrived there he underwent a medical examination in which he was diagnosed with several rib fractures and traumas to the torso.
The Justice Department explained that the search and immobilisation as well as the transfer to Mas d'Enric took place on the same day, 2nd October. After the check-up that revealed the injuries, and on medical advice, the inmate was admitted to Terrassa Hospital from 3 to 9 October. Apart from taking the facts to the Prosecutor's Office, the Secretariat of Criminal Measures has opened an internal investigation. Pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings, as a precautionary measure it has removed the two heads of service involved by suspending them from work. The department has assured that the internal investigation will clarify whether misconduct has taken place "that would be very serious and could lead to sanctions for the four officials", such as suspension for a period of six years, forced transfer or definitive separation from service.
In a statement, the Justice Department has recalled that the presumption of innocence must be respected, but has warned that it will act "with the utmost force" against attitudes that affect the prestige of Catalan prison services.
