BRIEFS. human rights

Abuses documented in panama prisons

La Defensoría del Pueblo has asked attorney general Ana Matilde Gómez to begin a series of investigations into alleged human rights abuses at the La Joya and La Joyita prisons, including the death of one of the inmates.

In a letter sent to the attorney general, the defensor del Pueblo, Ricardo Vargas, indicated that, based on his investigations, he was able to confirm that some of those deprived of their liberty had been beaten, mistreated and burned with tear gas by the police units in charge of security at the prisons.

Vargas said he also found evidence that some prisoners had been forced to strip and throw themselves to the floor, where they were "bathed" in urine.

Other inmates had bruises on various parts of their body, apparently inflicted by agents of the Policía Nacional.

The Defensoría verified that one inmate, Daniel Vela Rodríguez, died from being beaten with a blunt object.

Another prisoner, Rodrigo González Hernández, died for lack of medical attention.