As various reactions follow against the spreading coronavirus in the country, some human rights organizations have written the judiciary and the Malawi Prison Services asking that more prisoners be released.
The recommendation from the Paralegal Advisory Service Institute, Saint Egidio, Irish Rule of Law, REPRIEVE and the Centre for Human Rights Education, Advice and Assistance follows the recent announcement by President Peter Mutharika that there are three covid-19 positive cases in Malawi.
Last week, the President also announced a ban on public gatheringg.
However, with Malawi’s prison population beating the maximum by 200 percent, one of the organizations, the Saint Egidio community through lawyer Alexious Kamangira, the need to contain the coronavirus is now overwhelming.
In an interview, Kamangira said there is need for the President to utilize the Easter to pardon more prisoners including the sick, elderly and women as measures are being undertaken nationwide and believes the move will also see the country’s prisons decongest.
However, earlier in the week, the Malawi Prison Services announced a series measures including limiting number of people that visit inmates across all prisons.
But according to, their recommendations are not undermining the ones the authorities have put aside but believe the move will also see the country’s prisons decongest.
Meanwhile, three positive covid-19 cases have been reported in the country.
