GDP spokesman Nouth Savna speaking during an October 14 press conference on the ministry’s achievements. CGSU
A senior official of the Ministry of Interior’s General Department of Prisons (GDP) said GDP is working to reduce overcrowding in prisons though the construction of more custodial facilities, the renovation of current accommodation and the transfer of detainees. It is also working closely with the judiciary to reduce case backlog.
GDP spokesman Nouth Savna revealed this during an October 14 press conference on the ministry’s achievements.
He said overcrowding remains an issue that the department is taking short- and long-term measures to address.
“The short-term solution is to expand our capacity to accommodate detainees by constructing additional buildings and remolding existing facilities with lofts. We are also transferring detainees from overcrowded prisons to less crowded ones and strengthening cooperation with the judiciary to reduce case backlog,” he said.
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“The Ministry of Justice’s campaign to resolve case backlog also helped reduce overcrowding, with about 10,000 people involved in court cases spared from prisons. Without this campaign, the number of inmates in Cambodia would have increased to nearly 50,000,” he added.
The GDP is currently building new prisons or additional facilities in Phnom Penh and the provinces of Kampong Chhnang, Kep, Preah Sihanouk, Kampong Cham, Kandal and Stung Treng.
Some of the risks associated with overcrowding include increased infectious diseases, harassment and mental illnesses, Savna noted.
Am Sam Ath, deputy director for rights group LICADHO, told The Post that civil society organisations have been making recommendations for years, but the overcrowding did not appear to be easing. Although he had seen campaigns from the justice ministry to expedite court proceedings, they did not appear to have reduced congestion, he said.
“Even if there are transfers of inmates from one prison to another, it will not ease the overcrowding, because the total number of prisoners is beyond the capacity of the prison department,” he said.
Sam Ath added that the construction of new facilities and the expansion of existing prisons has not been completed yet, so what is important right now is that the courts be more involved.
He suggested that people awaiting trial on minor crimes should be bailed ahead of their court appearances. Non-criminal cases involving social, environmental or human rights workers who work to help society should not be sent to court, he said, and this would also reduce overcrowding.
