Rights violations caused South Africa prison riot

AFPSouth African correctional officials violated inmates' human dignity, which led to a riot at a prison early this year, the country's human rights commission said Thursday.

Fifty rioting prisoners and at least four wardens were injured in a stampede at the maximum security lock-up in central province Free State in January.

During a media visit to the facility a few days afterwards guards beat another inmate who later died.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) found the regional prisons commissioner and head of the Groenpunt jail "did not comply with the minimum standards of detention in light of domestic law and international instruments."

"The inmates were not treated with the necessary respect towards their human dignity," the commission said following an investigation.

During the January unrest police and prison forces moved in using stun grenades after the inmates of a section housing 750 men torched cells and barricaded themselves in a courtyard.

The SAHRC investigation found that leading up to the unrest, authorities had neglected to give inmates decent food, health care and accommodation.

It ordered the prison to improve conditions within a year, with written reports every six months.

Last November two inmates held hostage a prison doctor for 20 hours at a different, privatey-run prison in the province, demanding better food.