HIBAPRESS – Ouargla
The administration of the local prison in Ouargla has denied claims made in a video clip circulating on social media, which included statements attributed to the inmate's daughter (M.B.), who alleged that her father was subjected to "humiliation and mistreatment" by a staff member during a search of his cell.
The prison administration clarified in a statement that the allegations in the video are "baseless," asserting that the inmate in question has been receiving his legally guaranteed rights since his incarceration, including healthcare, access to the institution's doctor, transfer to the hospital when necessary, and provision of required medications.
According to the statement, the inmate is being held in pretrial detention in connection with a case involving "fraud and breach of trust." He has also received two final judgments in separate cases for "fraud," with each sentence being three years of effective imprisonment.
The prison administration added that the incident occurred on the morning of September 2nd, when the inmate refused to comply with the instructions of the staff tasked with searching the cell, which required him to enter from the recreation yard and stand by his bed to allow staff to conduct the search.
The statement indicated that the individual in question, according to the administration, requested "special treatment," citing his position as a senior official in the Ministry of National Education and his suffering from a heart condition.
Following the incident, the inmate was presented to the head of the security and discipline department, and a report was filed regarding the events, as per the prison administration's statement.
