Chief of Bir Ahmed center in Yemen: “There are no secret prisons in Aden”

Lt. Col. Ahmad Ghassan al-Aqrabi, the chief of Bir Ahmed center denied the existence of any secret prisons in Aden run outside the legal framework.

“All prisons in Aden and the other liberated governorates are under the control of the Yemeni prison authority that are supervised by the judiciary” al-Aqrabi said in a press statement.

He also added “there is no truth in what some media outlets have reported that there exists a secret prison inside the prison of Bir Ahmad. These are lies and fabrications for political purposes”.

He added that “all prisons are subject to the legitimacy of the Prison Service authority, we are doing our best efforts to provide services to inmates in prisons and to take the necessary legal measures”.

Al-Aqrabi has invited journalists and TV stations to visit jails to see the conditions for themselves, and meet with its administration, sit with the prisoners and ask them about their situation in the center.

“The families of the prisoners visit their relatives every Sunday weekly. Prisoners in the reform are also presented to the judicial authorities and the criminal prosecution in public” Al-Aqrabi confirmed.

 He pointed out that a number of international organizations, includes the International Red Cross, have visited the center and have seen the situation of prisoners directly and transparently.

He also said that a large number of prisoners have been released by judicial or prosecution.

Al-Aqrabi explained that “the center daily submits an operational report to the prison administration, which includes the situation, the exit movement of prisoners.

Al-Aqrabi renewed his call to the media and international agencies to visit the center.