Community of Sant'Egidio - Free the Prisoners

Free the Prisoners

May 2008

Douala - Cameroon

Another 8 prisoners freed thanks to interventions from the Community of Sant'Egidio

Eight further prisoners have been freed from Cameroon’s Douala prison during the month of May. April already saw 20 prisoners have their sentences recognized as having been served out thanks to the efforts of the Community of Sant'Egidio

As in previous cases, these were poor folk who had already served out their sentences but were without the funds needed to pay off their monetary fines, or to pay a penalty which would lead to their freeing.

Video:
"I used to be a prisoner..."

The Community of Sant'Egidio in Douala had been tracking their cases and even managed to attain a reduction in the size of the penalty payable.

The day of their liberation became an occasion for bringing aid to their fellow inmates. The Community distributed a hundred or so sleeping mats. Cells being devoid of any kind of beds, prisoners are forced to sleep on the bare ground. The harshness of these conditions of imprisonment represents an aggravation of the punishment imposed. Improving prisoners’ living conditions is often a matter of defending their very right to life.