The ICRC’s Younees Rahoui visits one of the prisons in Somalia. Since 2012, the ICRC has been conducting regular visits to places of detention in Somalia.
CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Pedram Yazdi
Somalia
The ICRC’s Younees Rahoui (centre) talks to the prison director. This initial talk enables him to understand the situation at the prison.
CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Pedram Yazdi
Somalia
With the approval from the detention authorities, the team tours the entire facility, including the holding cells, washrooms, kitchen and clinic.
CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Pedram Yazdi
Somalia
The purpose of the visit is to ensure detainees are treated with dignity and are living in humane conditions regardless of the reason they are detained. The ICRC works closely with all relevant authorities to support them in improving the situation.
CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Pedram Yazdi
Somalia
The ICRC teams conduct a group interview with detainees in one of the cells to get a good understanding of their living conditions and the way they are treated. The ICRC team includes a team leader and an interpreter.
CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Pedram Yazdi
Somalia
Private interviews are conducted with detainees to give them an opportunity to delve deeper into concerns they might have. The group and private interviews give the team a good picture of what the situation inside the prison is like. Private interviews also allow ICRC delegates to identify particular individual cases with specific needs that could be addressed by the ICRC and the authorities.
CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Pedram Yazdi
Somalia
Interviews are confidential and the details are not shared with the detention authorities unless the detainee agrees to have specific issues raised and discussed with the prison authorities. ICRC's work in places of detention is built on trust with the detainees and the authorities. All visits end with recommendations to authorities on how to improve shortcomings in the facility.
CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Pedram Yazdi
Somalia
The fact that ICRC teams conduct regular visits to the same place develops and strengthens the relationship with the authorities. Work is carried out with them on mid and long-term solutions to improve the conditions of detention and treatment of detainees.
The ICRC visits places of detention like prisons, police stations and security centres around the world to ensure that detainees are kept in humane conditions and are treated with dignity.
In 2012, the ICRC started visits to detention centres in Somalia. These photos reveal how such visits are conducted.
