GEORGE TOWN – Lawyers for Justice movement here has urged the National Security Council to temporarily close the Penang Court Complex at Light Street following yesterday’s 141 Covid-19 cases at the remand prison.
S. Raveentharan from the movement said the court needs to be closed at least for 14 days to allow health authorities to disrupt the transmission chain.
“It is not prisoners from the general population. These are remand detainees who are likely to be brought to court often. We need to check those who have close contact with the 141 detainees.”
In the interest of public health and safety, it is best to not allow the court to operate for now and to test every official here, he said.
He added many aspects of the standard operating procedures were not observed at the court complex.
“Detainees are brought by the tens in trucks. No physical distancing as they are kept close together for security.”
He said they did not wear face masks or given hand sanitisers.
Raveentharan added the affected detainees were in close proximity to prison officials and guards as well as their families.
Jelutong MP R.S.N. Rayer, who is also a lawyer, urged the courts to allow all detainees under bailable offences to be granted one as means to reduce the number of detainees at the remand facility.
There are more than 2,300 detainees at the remand prison here.
The high court registrar office could not be reached for comment. – The Vibes, October 13, 2020
