Tariq Aziz Fears for His Life in Iraqi Jail
THE TELEGRAPH: Saddam Hussein's former deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz has been handed over to the Iraqi authorities by the US in move his lawyer claims has put his life in danger.

He was among 55 members of the former regime's inner circle who were transferred along with control of Camp Cropper, the last American-run detention facility.

Iraqi security officials will take control of the camp from today as the US hands over roughly 1,600 Iraqi prisoners.

The move is part of American plans to cut troop numbers to 50,000 by the end of August in anticipation of all forces leaving by the end of next year.

Yesterday, Aziz's lawyer confirmed he had been transferred along with the other detainees on Tuesday night.

"Aziz called me and said he was being held in the Kazemieh prison in Baghdad," said Badie Aref. "He should have been released. What the Americans did violates the Red Cross code because they handed him over to his enemies. His life is in danger now." >>> | Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Life Inside Badam Bagh - Kabul's Only Prison for Women
BBC: Women's rights in Afghanistan have long been held up as one of the reasons why the West was so quick to help the country after the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

But how much control do Afghan women really have over their own lives?

Lyse Doucet was given rare access to Badam Bagh, Kabul's only prison for women. Watch video >>> | Tuesday, June 29, 2010

New Zealand to Ban Smoking in Prisons
BBC: New Zealand is to ban smoking throughout the country's prisons from 1 July 2011, Corrections Minister Judith Collins has announced.

The announcement has prompted concerns that violence in prisons could increase if prisoners are denied tobacco.

But Ms Collins dismissed the warnings and said high levels of smoking were a risk to staff and prisoners.

About 5,700 prisoners - two-thirds of the current total in New Zealand prisons - are smokers.

The corrections minister said smoking bans had been introduced in prisons in the US, Canada and Australia.

"We don't supply alcohol to prisoners because they are alcoholics, we don't supply them with all sorts of drugs and methamphetamine because they happen to be addicted to methamphetamine," Ms Collins said.

"This is a prison. It's not home. It's actually a prison. So it will be a total ban across all prisons. Not in the cells, not even out in the yard."

Prisoners will also be banned from having matches and lighters which some use to damage property, such as throwing burning balls of toilet paper at guards and setting fires in their cells. >>> | Monday, June 28, 2010

Inmates React to Smoking Ban with 'Bash' Threats
NZ HERALD: Prison guards have been threatened with "the bash" when the ban on inmates smoking takes effect in a year, says the guards' union.

President Beven Hanlon says the ban will put guards and staff such as tutors who remain smokers in danger from prisoners.

"Not just prisoners who get frustrated at smelling fresh smoke on you and just lash out, but because you are introducing an item that is suddenly a high-priority contraband item.

"The prisoners will do anything to get hold of it."

He said staff from around the country had phoned him yesterday to report prisoners saying, "If you guys are going to get rid of smoking, you are going to get the bash. We'll just take it out on you."

Mr Hanlon said he was threatened at Hawkes Bay Prison yesterday by two prisoners who identified him as someone who had talked about the issue on television.

"They were saying, 'We'll punch you in the head'."

Corrections staff will be encouraged to give up smoking, but will be allowed to smoke in designated areas - although not near prisoners. >>> Andrew Young | Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Related: Ending duty-free tobacco unlikely: Key >>> NZPA | Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Watch NZ Herald video here

Terror Cells, Comfy Cells!
MAIL ON SUNDAY: They have thought of everything. The walls are a cheery yellow, a colour designed to give an illusion of space. The chair and the thick mattress are an equally bright blue.

Daylight filters in through a Perspex domed window in the ceiling; there's air-conditioning, a private WC and basin, a desk, storage for clothes and books and even access to music and films. It could be any superior budget hotel, and it's in a great location - just ten minutes from London's Oxford Street.

The only thing that gives away that this isn't designed for weekend breaks is the 2in-thick steel door, the sound-deadening material, and a CCTV camera monitoring your every move (except for the 'exclusion zone' while using the en suite facilities).

These are the newly refurbished cells that make up the secure custody suite at Paddington Green police station. Whenever a terrorist suspect is taken into custody it's to 'a central London location'. It's no secret that it's here but cameras have never been allowed in before. Inside the terror cell: The London police station that has housed the failed July 21 bombers and Guantanamo Bay prisoners >>> Andrew Preston | Sunday, June 20, 2010

Sarkozy’s ‘Reign of Terror’? Journalist Faces Jail Over Leak of Nicolas Sarkozy's Rebuke for TV Technician
THE TELEGRAPH: A French journalist who leaked footage of Nicolas Sarkozy reprimanding a "rude" television studio worker is facing five years in jail.

Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni. Photo: The Telegraph
Augustin Scalbert, who works for the news website Rue89.fr, was charged with receiving stolen goods.

The allegations concern off-air clips of the French president accusing a technician of not having any manners, and poking fun at another journalist.

As he is waiting to appear on an evening bulletin, he begins to mock those around him. He says "Hello" to a technician fitting a microphone, but the man does not reply and Mr Sarkozy says: "When you're invited, you have the right for people to say hello to you.

"Otherwise we might as well be at a street rally - it's unbelievable!'"

Mr Sarkozy then asks one of the bulletin's journalists, Gilles Leclerc, why he had not been seen on-screen for months suggesting he was being kept "in reserve - in a cupboard".

The footage has already been seen millions of times on video-sharing websites. >>> Peter Allen in Paris | Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Luxury Prison Built in Norway
THE TELEGRAPH: A luxury prison containing en-suite bathrooms, £1 million Banksy-style art and windows without bars, has been built in Norway.

The £15 million Halden Prison took 10 years to build and has been touted as the most humane in the world for its 252 inmates.

Prison authorities claim the luxury environment of the 75-acre site helps reduce the country's already very low crime rate.

Each inmate gets a private cell with mini-fridge, flat-screen TV and even a private en-suite bathroom and barless windows - because they let in more sunlight.

Then for every 12 to 15 rooms there is a top-spec kitchen with stainless steel work tops and lounge areas complete with IKEA-style sofas and coffee tables.

To cap-off their stay at Halden the prisoners are also able to use a gym, complete with rock-climbing wall, a music studio, and a luxury library. >>> | Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Why Doesn’t Somebody Jail These SOBs?
TIMES ONLINE: The chairman of Britain’s biggest state-owned bank has defended multimillion-pound salaries for senior staff, despite widespread objections.

Sir Philip Hampton told the BBC Today programme that although banking sector remuneration was “astonishingly high”, staff at Royal Bank of Scotland would leave unless they were paid the market rate.

Politicians in each of the main parties have called for caps on bankers’ bonuses and Sir Philip — whose bank is 83 per cent owned by the taxpayer — has a difficult task in persuading the public that they are justified.

Sir Philip conceded that it was difficult to defend the pay gap between most people and some bank staff, but he told the BBC: “If we don’t pay our top people, they leave very quickly. Our top people are very much in demand and we have seen a significant loss of our top people.” RBS chief Sir Philip Hampton defends 'astonishingly high' bankers’ pay >>> Helen Power | Friday, April 30, 2010

Anger as Cherie Blair Spares Devout Man from Jail
TIMES ONLINE: Cherie Blair has been reported to the office overseeing judges' behaviour for apparently sentencing a man convicted of assault more leniently because he was religious.

The National Secular Society wrote to the Judicial Complaints Office on Friday complaining that Mrs Blair — a prominent Roman Catholic — suspended the six-month prison sentence passed on Shamso Miah, a Muslim who broke a stranger's jaw in row over a bank queue, on the ground that he was devout.

"We think this is discriminatory and unjust and we wish to make a formal complaint about it," wrote Terry Sanderson, the president of the NSS.

Today Mr Sanderson told The Times that the complaints office had acknowledged his letter and confirmed that it was going to investigate the case.

"We feel it's wrong that someone so high profile as Mrs Blair — and she is very high profile as a Catholic — should make such remarks in court," he explained.

"The man was incredibly violent and broke someone's jaw for no apparent reason. She said that he would have got a six-month sentence but was suspending it because he was a religious man and would know he was doing wrong, which we feel implies that a non-religious person wouldn't know it was wrong. >>> Jenny Booth | Thursday, January 04, 2010

Muslim Prisoners 'Refuse to Take Part in Group Therapy as It's Against Religion'
THE TELEGRAPH: Muslim prisoners are refusing to take part in group therapy sessions saying it's against their religion to talk about their 'past crimes' in front of others.

Scores of Britain's 10,000 Muslim prisoners - one in eight of all inmates - are refusing to take part in Offending Behaviour Programmes (OBPs ), claiming it is 'forbidden' or 'Haraam'.

Haraam refers to anything that is prohibited by faith [Allah], and in Islamic culture criminals are barred from discussing their offences with others.

Previously, Muslim prisoners refused to take part in Sex Offender Treatment Programmes because it involved talking about offences against women, but now some are refusing to take part in all rehabilitation sessions where they have to 'open up' in front of other cons.

Among the courses some Muslims are declining to take part in are the Cognitive Self Change Programme (CSCP), just one of 13 OBPs on offer from the prison service,

The CSCP, which treats 7,000 prisoners each year, targets 'high risk violent offenders' and offers individual and group sessions to prisoners.

The course claims to: "Equip prisoners with skills to help them control their violence and avoid reconviction.

"It is aimed at offenders with a history of violent behaviour and is suitable for those whose violence is reactive and/or instrumental."

Other programmes on offer include Enhanced Thinking Skills, Cognitive Skills Booster Programme, Controlling Anger and Learning to Manage it and various motivational courses.

One Muslim prisoner, Abu Dira, a maximum security prisoner at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire, said this week: "Muslims cannot speak about their past crimes in a group setting. >>> | Monday, January 11, 2010

Homosexual Africans Face Prison, Intolerance and the Death Penalty
THE TELEGRAPH: In Africa 38 out of 53 countries have criminalised consensual homosexual sex.

Matuba Mahlatjie is gay, African and married, which is unheard of outside liberal South Africa, because the continent's governments are clamping down on homosexuality.

Gay pride parades, same-sex marriages and the famously gay-friendly city of Cape Town puts South Africa way ahead of countries such as nearby Malawi, where a gay couple was thrown in jail this month for trying to marry.

But scratch the surface and sexual intolerance and hate crimes still riddle the continent's powerhouse.

"We still have hate crimes perpetrated against gay and lesbian people in our communities. The legalisation of same-sex unions did not make our life any easier," said Mahlatjie, who feels gays are still "under siege" in the country.

Across Africa governments are laying down the law against homosexuality and 38 out of 53 countries have criminalised consensual gay sex, in what Human Rights Watch says is a method of "political manipulation".

Uganda has been criticised for the tabling of a bill against the "sinful lifestyle" that would toughen penalties for gays and also punish anyone who "promotes" homosexuality.

In Malawi, where discussing sex is taboo, the attempt by the gay couple to get married was labeled a matter of "gross indecency". A judge is expected to decide next week whether they will face trial. >>> Fran Blandy, in Cape Town for AFP | Monday, January 11, 2010

Muslim 'Cleric' Arrested for Sending Hate Mail to Families of Dead Australian Soldiers
THE TELEGRAPH: A self-styled Muslim cleric is facing up to 14 years in jail after he was accused of sending hate mail to the families of Australian soldiers killed fighting in Afghanistan.

Police charged a 45-year-old man from Sydney, named in local press as Sheikh Haron, with sending "harassing and offensive letters to family members of soldiers killed whilst serving in Afghanistan."

One letter was reportedly delivered to a grieving widow at her husband's funeral. Another, allegedly written to the family of a commando killed in January, read: "I feel bad that you have lost your son but I don't feel bad that a murderer of innocent civilians has lost his life."

Mr Haron is accused of sending letters to the families of seven soldiers who died in Afghanistan, calling them "criminals", "murderers" and "killers" who were fighting a war of invasion.

He described one of the deceased soldiers, a Jewish man, as a "1,000 times worse" than a pig and a "murderer of innocents."

"Some people don't eat the meat of a pig but they are dirtier than (a) pig," Mr Haron wrote of Private Greg Sher, according to The Australian newspaper.

"What's the point if some people don't eat pork while their behaviour is worse than dirty animals? Why should we call a pig a hero?" he allegedly wrote.

Felix Sher, Greg's father, said the letter deeply shocked his family.

"Anti-semitism isn't something that is strange to us," Mr Sher said.

"However, what really affected us was when we found out it went to people like Breanna Till, and people like that - that's what hurts more. Why would these people be subject to such abuse?" >>> Bonnie Malkin in Sydney | Thursday, October 22, 2009

Vegan Prisoners Win Right to Buy Ethical Cosmetics and Food in Jail
MAIL ONLINE: Vegan prisoners have won the right to have ethically-sourced cosmetics including nail polish, lip balm and cellulite oil in jail.

They will also be able to tuck into a variety of nuts after prison bosses allowed them to order directly from two new 'eco outlets'.

Vegans, who refuse to eat meat or dairy products, had been pressing for at least one Brazil nut a day in their rations to boost their immune systems.

It is the latest in a series of rulings to protect convicts' rights and ensure equality among different faiths and comes months after similar concessions for pagans.

Prison bosses were told in May to let pagan inmates collect and keep twigs in their cells to use as wands during their rituals.

Strict vegans will refuse to eat any food, wear any clothes or use any product that involves the use of animals.

This means normal sun-screen, prison-issue boots and canteen food are all against their beliefs.

From today, the estimated 500 vegan prisoners in UK prisons, will be able to order products from Holland and Barrett - which sells a wide variety of nuts.

They will also be allowed to buy a range of ethical products, including make-up, shower gels, lib [sic] balm, cellulite oil and facial scrubs from Honesty Cosmetics.

Orders can also be placed with the firm Lavera which supplies cruelty-free sun cream, aftersun, self-tanning lotion and anti-ageing creams. >>> | Monday, August 24, 2009

Women in Somali City Must Cover Up or Go to Jail
CNN: Women in Somalia's third-largest city, Baidoa, have been ordered to wear Islamic dress starting this week or face jail time, according to a resident and Somali media reports.

The order -- issued last week by Al-Shabaab, the radical Islamist militia that controls the city -- also warns business owners to close their shops during daily prayers, or they will be temporarily shut down, a local journalist said.

The militia has ordered women to cover their bodies and heads from view, according to a resident of Baidoa who did not want to be identified for security reasons. The clothing must be black, red or white, and women in the impoverished city are concerned that they will not be able to purchase clothing that conforms to the order, the resident said.

He said women would be jailed if they violated the order after it goes into effect Tuesday. Somalia's Shabelle Media, quoting an Al-Shabaab spokesman, said they would spend 12 hours in jail. >>> CNN's Ben Brumfield and journalist Mohamed Amiin Adow contributed to this report | Monday, April 20, 2009

Nigerian Bill Defines Gay Roommates as "Married," Inflicts Prison Penalty
Anti-gay Anglican leader Peter Akinola. Photo courtesy of TDGE Boston

EDGE Boston: Under a proposed new law in Nigeria, same-sex marriage would consist of gays simply living together--and would be punishable by three years in prison.

The law would extend new powers to the police to crack down on anyone thought to be gay, reported the BBC in an article posted online Mar. 11.

Advocates of the country’s gay and lesbian population stood against the bill, with the Queer Alliance of Nigeria’s Rashidi Williams addressing a government committee with plea not to enhance the nation’s existing anti-gay legislation with a law that would essentially make it a crime for gays to share living space by defining the sharing of housing as "gay marriage."

Existing law in the Christian part of the country penalizes gays with 14 years in prison, while in Muslim areas gays face being stoned to death for their sexuality. >>> By Kilian Melloy | Thursday, March 12, 2009

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Muslim Inmates Offered Fresh Bedding and Clothing after Sniffer Dog Searches
MIRROR: Muslim inmates are being offered fresh bedding and clothing after sniffer dog searches - because the animals are considered unclean in Islam.

They are allowed to request replacements if the animals' saliva touches garments and linen.

Ministry of Justice spokeswoman Rosemary Hanna explained: "We are aware that if dog saliva comes into contact with the clothing or religious artefacts of a Muslim, it renders these items defiled. As such a prisoner must be allowed to change clothing if this occurs.

"Also, bedding should be changed where the prisoner feels that it has been defiled."

The practice follows a complaint from an illegal immigrant awaiting deportation at Dover prison in Kent but is now in place nationwide.

Prisoners' Korans will also be protected from sniffer dogs. Ms Hanna added: "They should not be allowed to touch holy books and artefacts. Muslim Inmates Offered Fresh Bedding and Clothing after Sniffer Dog Searches By Allison Martin | October 9, 2008

DAILY EXPRESS:
Muslim Inmates Get New Clothes if Dog Sniffs Cell >>> | October 9, 2008

BBC:
Staff ‘Fears’ over Muslim Inmates: A prison inspection report has detailed the "fear" felt by staff at Whitemoor high security jail in Cambridgeshire at the radicalisation of Muslim prisoners.

The Chief Inspector of Prisons said the findings highlight a growing "disaffection and distance" between Muslim inmates and the prison system.

Anne Owers said the growing situation "urgently" needed addressing.

The National Offender Management Service said work to improve prisoner and staff relations was "a priority".

Ms Owers said the Prison Service "needs to equip staff better to deal with the growing number of Muslim prisoners".

The report says a fundamental problem at HMP Whitemoor is the relationship between staff and the 120 Muslim inmates - almost a third of the total number of prisoners.

According to inspectors, officers tended to treat Muslim prisoners as extremists and potential security risks, even though only eight of them had been convicted of terrorist offences.

Officers expressed a "fear" that increasing numbers of prisoners were converting to Islam and being radicalised.

Prison officers said Muslim prison gangs are trying to force other inmates to sign up to Islamic radicalism.

Inspectors were told that extremists at HMP Whitemoor were pushing a "strict and extreme" interpretation of Islamic practice.

Ms Owers said: "There was a perception among officers that some Muslim prisoners operated as a gang and put pressures on non-Muslim prisoners to convert, and on other Muslim prisoners to conform to a strict and extreme interpretation of Islamic practice." >>> | October 10, 2008

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