Allegations have now emerged that certain officials from the Ministry of Social Affairs are trying to cover up the harsh living conditions at the women's correctional facility in the city by moving witnesses and hiding documents. The facility was the scene of a riot last week. Inmates claimed they did not have access to proper food, medical care, were often held in solitary confinement and were physically beaten by the women guards. Their complaints, including the physical assaults, were later confirmed by the National Society of Human Rights (NSHR). The NSHR in Makkah Province has also criticized the role of the social affairs ministry because it had allegedly failed to implement recommendations, made two years ago, to improve services at the facility. “This unfortunate incident would not have happened if the ministry had responded to the female team's observations,” said NSHR chairman in Makkah Dr. Hussein Al-Sharif. In the latest twist to the saga, on Tuesday three inmates of the facility were moved to Jeddah and Taif facilities by officials from the Ministry of Social Affairs. The move was undertaken while high-level investigations are underway into the causes of the protest that took place last Friday. Sources from inside the institution claimed that the files of those moved – three of the oldest inmates – were hidden and not presented to investigating committee officials. The sources said that some staff were afraid of being questioned about their role in failing to follow up on the condition of the three women. However, these allegations were rejected by the director of the Social Affairs administration in Makkah, Dr. Ali Al-Henaki. He said the women were moved as part of the ministry's “urgent efforts to correct the situation at the facility”. “We're willing to bring them before the investigation committees if required because we have nothing to hide. Parents of those moved had refused to accommodate them and we placed them at orphanages until the situation with their parents is resolved,” he added. Social workers deny accusations The two social workers accused by the ministry of organizing and taking part in the protest have rejected the accusations against them. They also claimed that the management of the facility tried to create the impression that the staff had been kept hostage by the inmates, but this was not the case. The social workers said that they were in a “constant war” with the facility's management because they would always “sympathize with inmates” and try to protect them from being beaten by staff. “We did not cause the riot and the investigation committees had not interrogated or officially charged us despite the fact they are close to completing their task,” the social workers said. The two deemed the protest as the “inevitable result” of the management's policy, which had created an “unhealthy environment” inside the facility. “The manager, her deputy and some other staff are against the social workers and inmates,” they claimed. The social workers said that inmates first expressed their dissatisfaction last week, early on Friday. The protest took place in the evening. The inmates had gathered and “demanded their right” to have changes made to the institution. The management then called the police who came and restored calm to the situation, promising that special committees would be formed on Saturday, which was the following day. “Matters went smoothly until Friday evening, when some staff, ordered by the management, destroyed documents that contained the complaints from inmates and which proved the management's tardiness.” The social workers said that the management was worried that an investigation committee would get hold of the documents. “The inmates then learnt of the destruction of the documents and exchanged verbal insults with certain staff, who then went to the manager. The latter then called the police and told them the inmates intended to burn down the facility, and that they were holding the staff by force,” the social workers said.
