There are a number of places of detention in N'Djamena referred to in the sources consulted by the Research Directorate, although none is explicitly referred to as the "central prison". Amnesty International, in its 1997 Report refers to persons being detained at the "the Camp des martyrs prison in N'Djaména" (1997, 115), the Agènce National de Sécurité [ANS] headquarters in N'Djaména (ibid., 114) and the headquarters of the Renseignements généraux, General Intelligence Service, in N'Djaména (ibid.). In addition, the Amnesty International report Hope Betrayed refers to detainees being held at the "Gendarmerie headquarters in N'Djaména" (1997, 7). In Country Reports, 1997 it is reported that

Official inaction and interference continue to plague the judiciary. Persons accused of crimes may endure up to several years of incarceration before being charged or tried, especially those arrested for felonies in the provinces who must await remand to the overcrowded and dangerous house of detention in N'Djamena. (1998, 60)

Reuters, in an article dated 9 May 1997 that failed to specify the prison involved, reported that:

Police fired automatic weapons to disperse hungry inmates who threw stones and took guards hostage at a prison in Chad's capital Ndjamena on Friday and many prisoners were wounded, a judicial source said.

The source could not say whether there had been any deaths.

It was the fourth riot at the prison this year.

"The prisoners attacked us early in the morning because they were hungry," one prison guard told Reuters.

"The prisoners live in very difficult conditions, they eat little or nothing for days on end, their conditions of health and hygiene are deplorable," he added.

No information confirming the name(s) of the person(s) with the title of Commander of the central prison in N'Djamena could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Amnesty International. March 1997. Hope Betrayed. (AI Index: AFR 20/04/97) London: Amnesty International.

_____. 1997. Amnesty International Report 1997. London: Amnesty International.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1997. 30 January 1998. United States Department of State. Washington, DC: United States Government Printing Office.

Reuters. 9 May 1997. "Chad Police Open Fire to Disperse Hungry Prisoners." (NEXIS)

Africa Analysis [London]. 1997 - 1998

Africa Confidential [London]. 1997 - 1998

Africa Research Bulletin [London]. 1997 - 1998

Human Rights Watch Global Report on Prisons. 1993

La lettre du continent [Paris]. December 1997 - January 1998

La Lettre hebdomadaire de la FIDH. [Paris]. December 1997 - January 1998
Observatoire International des Prisons. 1997.

Rapport 1997

Electronic Sources : IRB Databases, REFWORLD, LEXIS/NEXIS, WNC, Internet.

Non-documentary sources: unsuccesful attempts to contact three oral sources.

Resource Centre Chad country file (1997 - 1998)

Resource Centre Chad Amnesty International file (1997 - 1998)