I cleaned out the unclear transcript wording, removed repetition, and tightened the tribunal section while keeping the allegations clearly attributed to the former detainee.
A man released on Thursday from the Eastern Correctional and Rehabilitation Centre has described spending more than five months in detention under a Prevention of Detention Order (PDO) during the State of Emergency, alleging that he was subjected to inhumane conditions and physical abuse.
Speaking in an interview following his release, the man said he was stopped by police and taken to a police station without being given a clear explanation for his detention.
He said that after spending about half an hour at the station, he was presented with documents containing serious allegations against him before being taken to prison. According to him, he was not charged with an offence during his detention.
“When there’s this piece of paper called a PDO, it’s really crazy,” he said.
The former detainee alleged that he was housed in a converted 40-foot container with several other men, some of whom were forced to sleep on the floor. He claimed ventilation was inadequate, toilets were not functioning properly and detainees sometimes had to use a bucket as a toilet without privacy.
He also alleged that access to water was inconsistent and that detainees were subjected to physical abuse by prison officers for relatively minor infractions or disputes.
“Everybody was more or less feeling hopeless,” he said.
According to the man, a tribunal eventually recommended his release after finding insufficient grounds to continue his detention. He claimed, however, that further grounds were subsequently presented to justify keeping him detained. He disputed those grounds and described them as false.
The man was eventually released after spending just over five months in custody.
He said the experience has left him traumatised and struggling to rebuild his life, with unpaid bills accumulating during his detention. He also said he is now afraid to venture outside because he fears being targeted again.
“I don’t know how to start back my life,” he said. “In a matter of six months, my life’s feeling like it’s gone.”
The allegations concerning the conditions of his detention and treatment while in custody are his account of events.
Article and image source: tiktok.com
