No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeCosta RicaJudge orders closure of overcrowded San Sebastián prison

Judge orders closure of overcrowded San Sebastián prison

Costa Rica’s overcrowded San Sebastián prison that inmates describe as “hell on Earth” could be closing its gates for good after a San José judge ordered it shut down.

Sentencing Judge Roy Murillo made the decision in a July 20 resolution citing the prison’s horrid conditions and antiquated infrastructure, according to the Spanish-speaking daily La Nación.

The prison currently houses 1,260 inmates, only 165 of whom have been convicted of a crime, according to the Justice Ministry. The rest are being held in pretrial detention.

The prison’s stated capacity is 664 inmates.

Detainees at San Sebastián have complained to The Tico Times of inhumane conditions in overcrowded cells with minimal ventilation and so little sleeping space that some prisoners have to sleep on the floor next to urinals.

One former inmate told The Tico Times that his room in cell block B-3 had more than 50 people but only eight beds, requiring him to sleep on a piece of foam while crammed in the crawl space under a bed.

The Justice Ministry said in a news release that the 165 convicted inmates from San Sebastián will be gradually relocated to other centers around the country. Prison System Director Reynaldo Villalobos said the Justice Ministry will form a commission to decide on the transfer of each inmate over the next 18 months.

The inmates in pretrial detention will be phased out as their preventive prison sentences expire, according to the Justice Ministry.

Villalobos told The Tico Times on Monday that the criminal justice system has a measure of responsibility for the country’s overcrowded prisons. “We’re always limited in terms of the reforms we can make but we’re ready to act accordingly with whatever decision a judge makes.”

At a panel discussion last week alongside Villalobos, Murillo hinted at the legal decision by noting the unsanitary and inhumane conditions at San Sebastián. He compared the prison to a septic tank with a rat infestation, saying that rampant overcrowding has stripped the prisoners of essential human rights.

“If I had to be in that prison I would either kill myself or immediately become addicted to drugs,” he told the audience.

Murillo’s order to close San Sebastián is sure to generate controversy similar to that stirred up by recent orders from Murillo and other judges to release low-level prisoners in order to reduce overcrowding.

Recently, Villalobos and heads of the Justice Ministry were set to release more than 350 qualifying prisoners from Gerardo Rodríguez prison in Alajuela. However, on June 13, the decision was suspended after outrage from business owners, the public and officials.

Trending Now

US sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro

The United States announced on Friday financial sanctions against Colombian President Gustavo Petro for failing to combat drug trafficking, drawing a strong response from...

Costa Rica Joins US-Led Bid for 2031 Women’s Soccer World Cup

The United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica have teamed up to bid for hosting the 2031 FIFA Women's World Cup. This marks the...

Tamarindo Halloween Fest Boosts Local Economy

The coastal town of Tamarindo will host its fourth Halloween Fest from October 29 to November 1, drawing families, athletes, artists, and local business...

Latin America Questions US Boat Strikes in the Drug War

US military strikes that Washington claims have targeted "narco-terrorists" ferrying drugs to American soil are having little to no impact on Latin America's bustling...

Costa Rica Expat Guide to Creative DIY Home Repairs

My family was recently cleaning up our backyard, tidying up the mass of branches that had been ditched on the property by the local...

Venezuela Arrests Suspects in Alleged CIA Cell Plotting Attack

Venezuela claimed Monday to have dismantled a CIA-financed cell plotting a false-flag attack on a US warship deployed to the southern Caribbean, as Washington...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica