The UK’s chief inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers, expressed concerns over the treatment of Muslim detainees at Belmarsh maximum security prison in east London, Reuters reported.
Owers said Belmarsh staff doesn’t understand the social and religious behavior of Muslim prisoners, adding that there were few relationships between staff and detainees.
“The situation in relation to Muslim prisoners, in a prison holding many of those suspected of involvement in the recent terrorist incidents, was particularly sensitive and complex," Owers said in her report.
"It was noticeable that half the prisoners we surveyed ... said that they had felt unsafe at Belmarsh. This appeared particularly strong among the small number of Asian prisoners,” she added.
Owers, who made an unannounced inspection of Belmarsh last October, also stressed the importance of understanding the detainees in order to manage them safely.
"We did not believe this was the case for staff in relation to Muslim prisoners at Belmarsh," she said, adding that Muslim detainees felt their treatment by staff had worsened since the July 7 London bombings.
”Full stretch”
According to the report, around a quarter of Belmarsh’s 900 detainees were foreigners, half were black or minority ethnic detainees, and over 100 were Muslims.
"The prison’s high security and special security units were at full stretch, holding, among others, those suspected of the failed suicide bomb attempts of July," the report said.
Owers also said she was concerned over the way staff treated four Muslim inmates who were banned from attending Friday prayers.
Another detainee charged with terrorism offences was held separately with his own dedicated group of staff who provided a "very poor quality of life", the chief inspector said.
"Young Muslim prisoners were concerned that ordinary social and religious behavior on their part was misinterpreted by staff as being problematic," the report said.
"What was clear was that there were few sturdy relationships, and little mutual understanding, between staff and this group of young prisoners,” it added.
Owers said Belmarsh staff doesn’t understand the social and religious behavior of Muslim prisoners, adding that there were few relationships between staff and detainees.
“The situation in relation to Muslim prisoners, in a prison holding many of those suspected of involvement in the recent terrorist incidents, was particularly sensitive and complex," Owers said in her report.
"It was noticeable that half the prisoners we surveyed ... said that they had felt unsafe at Belmarsh. This appeared particularly strong among the small number of Asian prisoners,” she added.
Owers, who made an unannounced inspection of Belmarsh last October, also stressed the importance of understanding the detainees in order to manage them safely.
"We did not believe this was the case for staff in relation to Muslim prisoners at Belmarsh," she said, adding that Muslim detainees felt their treatment by staff had worsened since the July 7 London bombings.
”Full stretch”
According to the report, around a quarter of Belmarsh’s 900 detainees were foreigners, half were black or minority ethnic detainees, and over 100 were Muslims.
"The prison’s high security and special security units were at full stretch, holding, among others, those suspected of the failed suicide bomb attempts of July," the report said.
Owers also said she was concerned over the way staff treated four Muslim inmates who were banned from attending Friday prayers.
Another detainee charged with terrorism offences was held separately with his own dedicated group of staff who provided a "very poor quality of life", the chief inspector said.
"Young Muslim prisoners were concerned that ordinary social and religious behavior on their part was misinterpreted by staff as being problematic," the report said.
"What was clear was that there were few sturdy relationships, and little mutual understanding, between staff and this group of young prisoners,” it added.
