Illegal Detention · 11
We each have our own great hopes and dreams for next year. But, for many victims of injustice and oppression hopes and dreams are more than elusive. How do we give them hope for their future in the face of such painful circumstances? Billy is the eldest of 11 children. His mother, a laundry woman whose earnings are not even enough to support one child, placed on Billy’s tiny shoulders the responsibility of putting food on the table. His family had not had anything to eat for days. Billy is only 13 years old; barely four feet tall. For a can of luncheon meat taken in the height of desperation, 13-year-old Billy was detained in municipal jail for several days. He shared a crowded prison cell with over 120 adult criminals, many of whom had been accused of rape and murder. The jail’s filthy condition is unbearable even for the most hardened criminal. Christmas came early to Billy. In September of last year, ijm intervened on his behalf. We visited Billy in his prison cell and listened to his pleas. We searched for the person who filed the case against him and then explained Billy’s situation. And then the miracle happened– the complainant dropped the charges and Billy was set free! There are many children like Billy who are thrown and forgotten in a squalid prison cell. They are children. They should be playing in the warmth of a loving home. Let us pray that this year will bring them the greatest gift - the joy of childhood, which had been so harshly taken away from them. It is a pleasure to be a part of the International Justice Mission family and to bring hope to the hopeless.
The Facts • In the spring of 2002, 50 percent of 1,700 detainees in an Ethiopian prison had been there for five to 10 years, many without charge (African Commitments to Human Rights: A Review of Eight NEPAD Countries). • Of the 13,300 cases involving children accused of crimes in the Philippines in 2002, 4,544 children had already been jailed and many were held illegally in adult prisons without trial in the first quarters of 2003. At least 36 children are detained each day (Public Attorney’s office in the Philippines). • In 2003 it was estimated that 41.4 percent of South Africa’s prisoners were infected with HIV due to subhuman prison conditions, overcrowding, violence and sexual assault (The Institute for Security Systems). What IJM Does IJM receives case referrals and sends investigators to interview witnesses, review court documents and gather evidence to confirm a victim’s innocence and to verify illegal detention. IJM presents the evidence to a judge in order to secure the victim’s release from jail, as well as appropriate aftercare for the victim. Rashid is a 17-year-old boy accused of selling stolen goods. Rashid said a friend asked him to sell a bike. Rashid didn’t know the bike had been stolen and actually sold the bike back to the original owner. The owner then called the police, and Rashid was arrested. In the Philippines, if the complainant fails to show for trial, the date is rescheduled—often in three month intervals— and can be rescheduled as many as three times. Rashid had been in jail for six months without trial; some children have been awaiting trial for more than a year. When his accuser failed to show in court, the court ordered his case dismissed. However, no one followed up on his release order and Rashid remained in prison until IJM discovered his case and secured his release.