THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2003
69 Japanese guards disciplined for abusing prisoners
AP
TOKYO: Japan has disciplined 69 prison guards for abusing prisoners since 1996, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Thursday. Separately, Kyodo news agency said the Justice Ministry is treating as ``unnatural'' the deaths of 100 inmates at four prisons over the past 10 years.
The report indicated that suicides and accidental deaths were included, but said eight post mortems were being conducted over suspicions surrounding the inmates' deaths. It didn't elaborate.
Government officials weren't available for comment late on Thursday. The Yomiuri, Japan's largest newspaper, said that since 1996, seven guards have been suspended, 28 have had their pay cut, and 34 were given warnings for abusing inmates.
Among those given pay cuts were two guards who burned inmates by pouring scalding tea on them. Another was given a warning for hitting an inmate at a juvenile correctional facility in the face with a volleyball, The Yomiuri said.
The newspaper cited records it obtained from the Justice Ministry under Japan's freedom of information law.
The ministry said it was checking the information in the report. Long criticised for severe discipline and secrecy, Japanese prisons have come under increased scrutiny following the arrest of guards who allegedly abused inmates to death.
A warden at Nagoya Prison was arrested last month for allegedly torturing and killing an inmate two years ago with a water cannon blast while the inmate was tightly restrained in leather handcuffs. About 70,000 adults and roughly 6,500 minors are incarcerated in Japanese correctional facilities.
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