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View all search resultsInmate killed in fight at overcrowded prison in North Sumatra
Data released by the Immigration and Corrections Ministry in August revealed that Indonesia’s prison system is operating 93 percent over capacity, with 281,762 inmates housed across the country despite facilities being designed to hold a maximum of 146,260 people.
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An illustration of a prison inmate. (Shutterstock/Skyward Kick Productions)
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deadly fight broke out in an overcrowded prison in North Sumatra, claiming one inmate’s life and bringing renewed attention to Indonesia’s widespread prison overcrowding issues.
The incident took place at Pangururan Penitentiary in Samosir Regency, which currently holds 110 inmates, more than twice its intended capacity of 50.
The facility’s security and order head Mitra Tarigan said the violence began around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday in Cell Number 3, which was housing 14 inmates at the time.
“After the initial fight, we moved one of the inmates involved, Army Siregar, to another cell. However, the following day, when he returned to Cell 3 to collect his belongings, he was allegedly assaulted by the other inmates," Mitra said on Monday.
Read also: Activists unconvinced new law can reduce prison overcrowding
Mitra said the alleged incident occurred without the guards’ knowledge, as most of the inmates were participating in the morning aerobics routine in the prison yard at the time. The inmates involved in the altercation had not joined the activity.
He said prison guards found Army unconscious shortly after the assault and immediately brought him to the prison clinic. The on-duty nurse advised that he be taken to a hospital.
