Alex Dalli has a lot to answer for.
Just last Sunday, reports said he bragged about shoving a gun in an inmate’s mouth. In the presence of an unnamed minister and government officials, Dalli is alleged to have boasted about turning the water off in inmates’ cells, leaving them in their own dirt for days at a time.
That’s just the latest in a series of allegations that point to grave, inhumane treatment at the Corradino Correctional Facility.
Fourteen people have died under mysterious circumstances that the public is still in the dark about because the government refuses to publish magisterial inquiries into their deaths.
After the latest suicide, Dalli “suspended himself” and former head of detention services Robert Brincau replaced him. But we cannot applaud Dalli’s departure unless his system of abuse leaves with him.
The first step in tearing down this system of abuse is to open access to activists and NGOs, whose role is to ensure these prisoners are being treated humanely.
If Brincau is serious about wanting to help inmates, the least he could do is allow them to speak freely to the press and to NGOs.
We also cannot celebrate Alex Dalli’s self-suspension unless it leads to full accountability from those who, directly or indirectly, have brought about the situation in prison.
That includes Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, whose inaction cannot be described as anything less than malicious and heartless.
There is no doubt in my mind that Camilleri knew how grave the situation was at Corradino.
He knew inmates were dying. He knew the exact conditions in prison. Still, he stood by Dalli even after reports of restraining chairs, of threatening prison wall messages and a string of suicides.
The reasons for this are irrelevant – his behaviour points to a lack of political will to take action when people’s lives are at risk. Political responsibility must be shouldered immediately.
The government needs to do more to help people turn their lives around. To achieve this, our prison system must rehabilitate, not restrain.
During a recent debate, Peppi Azzopardi said he spoke to inmates who described how their parents would take drugs in front of them as children or hit them repeatedly. How can we reform these people if we continue to subject them to abuse?
Rehabilitation has been proven to lower rates of recidivism and allow previous offenders to re-integrate into society. A vindictive and undignified approach, on the other hand, has the opposite effect.
Our prison’s goal should therefore be to reform inmates so that they can be the healthiest, safest members of society.
What can you do to help?
The Ombudsman is now holding an investigation of the prisons following reports of maladministration.
This investigation will only be successful if as many people as possible come forward with information.
It’s important that those who might have friends or family in prison, or might have been incarcerated while Dalli was still director, speak to the Ombudsman.
It’s the only way to ensure that Dalli’s cruel methods get what they deserve.
Denise Grech is a member of Moviment Graffitti.
