23 December 1997 Visits Twice a month but emergencies were catered for. Machava Prison, Maputo Punishment Corpora! punishment ti as prohibited. 40 hours to 3 days confinement for infringement of prison !errillations was imposed on offenders. Discussion with Director and his deputy The Sick Mumar Tali, the Director had assumed duty only a week previously. Machava was a maximum security prison under the Ministry of Interior. The prison authorities had been notified by their National Director of my visit. There was an extremely sick looking person who had been taken to hospital the previous day, but had been brought back, the Director informed me. In unison, the inmates denied that he had been taken anywhere. He slept in almost the open air throughout the day. On roll were 422 inmates while it had a capacity for 600. All of the inmates were male. Maximum period of being here was given as 45 days. Cells Two cells in a dungeon were lit by bulb in the day, and in the night they were turned off. Except for going for their food, they were in the cells all day. Tn the absence of the Director, however, the inmates said the lights were on the whole day. One inmate had marks which were consistent with his claim that he had been assaulted by the police. They had never been given soap, they maintained; and they had also not had water for 3 days. Food Twice a day the inmates were fed on rice, maize flour, beans and dry fish. Rice is frequent but they preferred maize. According to the Director, the prison had a doctor and nurses. The prisoners were allowed to be outside in the day. Health One or two prisoners were sent to hospital everyday. I urged the Director to keep an eye on the very sick with a view to sending them to hospital. Visits Food was provided once a day, sometimes it was twice. Unless you paid the police, you were not allowed to be visited, the inmates maintained. When under interrogation, suspects were beaten by the police to extract confession. Because of the outbreak of cholera, visits had been banned. I suggested that the lights should be put off in the night; and that all efforts should be made to provide medical attention to the sick Correspriniklit. . The commander observed that the conditions of detention were the result of the general situation in the country. Most of the detention centres were built in the colonial era, and had not been rehabilitated. Before then visits were paid everyday. Thule was no limit to the number of letters which could be written or received. Prisoners were grouped and housed according to considerations such as the nature of offences committed and age. Uniform was supplied by the authorities. A church on the compound was used for worship on Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday. A library with booklets was manned by the inmates. Soccer was played three times a week. 36 37