MIJ Minister initiates special tribunals in prisons to deal with backlog

www.vheadline.com Posted: Wednesday, March 12, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Interior & Justice (MIJ) Minister, General (ret.) Lucas Rincon Romero has been quick off the mark to redress long-standing complaints from Venezuela’s prison inmates installing the first of special control tribunals to tackle a backlog of pending cases.

Arriving by helicopter to Carabobo’s Tocuyito jail at 9.00 a. m., Rincon Romero inspected administrative and inmate areas, as well as the women inmates' wing.

At 1.35 p.m. International Human Rights Committee Ombudsman for Latin America Juan Carlos Betancourt arrived at the prison with Zoraida Carillo to undertake a short report on the state of delayed legal processes and to establish responsibilities for delays ... but the National Guard (GN) did not let them in.

Rincon Romero has announced that the prisoners have agreed to lift their hunger strike.

The tribunals started working today at 10.00 a.m. and it has been announced that State Attorney Armando Paredes will coordinate the installation of the prisons tribunals.