Riot controlled in La Plata prison

Criminal Policies subsecretary for Buenos Aires province, César Albarrincín sustained this afternoon that the riots reported last night in the Melchot Romero prison had been controlled and that everything had returned to normal. The official assured “no-one was hurt” in the process.

The riots had begun when a 45-year-old man with mental health problems started complaining about living conditions inside the jail.

A group of prisoners from the number 29 jail in Melchot Romero, La Plata, began rioting last night and today were holding a prison guard hostage. It was reported that the detainees were demanding better living conditions, according to a judicial source.

The incidents were initiated by three prisoners last night, and continued this morning, the intervening public prosecutor, Virginia Bravo confirmed.

“Today we are to present a habeas corpus to the court, to put in a request for the better living conditions that the prisoners are asking for,” Bravo stated.

Bravo further stated that there are now sixteen prisoners rioting, and confirmed that one of the prison officers was still being held hostage even though “the patrol team is being changed every hour.”

According to a police source, the disturbances began in prison block 3, when three detainees took a prison officer hostage, moving them by force from one block to another.

Although Bravo is to present their demands to court officials, the rioting prisoners demanded the intervention of higher government Security officials or that of Buenos Aires province Governor Daniel Scioli, so as to make their demands heard.

http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/84670/riot-controlled-in-la-plata-prison

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