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only because they lacked the means to pay the amount of money they had
been ordered to pay as fine. At least 844 prisoners jailed for petty offences
were released following judges’ visits. The needless incarceration of many
more prisoners could be ended if only the judges visited the prisons more
often.
Prison riots
A number of prison riots and clashes between detainees were reported
from prisons during the year. The rioting occurred often when the prisoners’
demands for basic needs, such as healthcare and decent food, were ignored.
The post-riot decision-making focused only on punishing the prisoners deemed
to have instigated the rioting, and not only addressing detainees’ grievances.
In mid-March, a riot broke out in Rahimyar Khan District Jail after a 60year-old
prisoner died due to cardiac arrest and the authorities were blamed
for not providing adequate and timely medical attention. The day following his
death, dozens of prisoners assembled in the jail grounds and chanted slogans
against the prison authorities. They climbed the jail roof and some burned their
clothes as a sign of protest. Prison authorities fired tear gas shells to control
the situation.
In late May, rioting prisoners set ablaze 15 prison barracks in Central Jail,
Gilgit. The riot had started after two under-trial prisoners charged in two-high
Prisoners on the roof, police all around: a prison riot in progress.
75
State of Human Rights in 2012