Prisoners have more rights than victims

SAUDI Arabia is threatening Qatar despite – or because of – the knowledge that military action might draw in Iran.

It certainly looks like a decision to force a war with Tehran, presumably in the belief that the US would feel obliged to join in on its side.

It was previously restrained by Barack Obama, but evidently expects something different from Donald Trump. One wonders what Trump said to them on his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, when he struck a $147 billion deal to sell military equipment to the kingdom. Saudi Arabia has been waging a horrific war with Yemen that has left more than 10 000 civilians dead and 17 million on the verge of starvation.

Gulf states have long accused Qatar of supporting extremist groups, in particular the Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic State and al-Qaeda, something Qatar has denied. Saudi Arabia itself has been identified as a prolific sponsor of international terrorism, allegedly supporting the Taliban, al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Al-Nusra Front. MAHMOUD RANGILA

Isipingo Hills PRISONERS are having a ball of a time in our prisons. They don’t have to go to a strip club to salivate at strippers teasing them with their voluptuous, scantily clad bodies; the strippers come to them to touch, fondle and excite them.

With live entertainment like this within the confines of prison walls, who wouldn’t want to spend some quality time in prison?

For a long time we have been hearing how prisons have become five-star holiday resorts.

Prisoners are able to smuggle almost anything – from cigarettes, dagga, liquor and cellphones to dangerous weapons – into their cells with the help of crooked prison staff.

There’s even prostitution in some notorious prisons.

I have also heard of some privileged prisoners getting weekend passes to spend time with their families and girlfriends.

So it’s not surprising that prisoners were cavorting with strippers at the Johannesburg Prison as part of Youth Day celebrations.

Some crank or criminal law expert will tell us that such activities are therapeutic and reward programmes for good behaviour which help to re-integrate convicts with civil society.

But prison authorities have been caught with their pants down and have promised to get to the bottom of this hanky panky captured on camera and leaked to the media.

Thirteen prison officials implicated in the indecent exposure in violation of prison rules have already been suspended (Prison officials in hot water over stripper revelry, Daily News, June 27), but that shouldn’t bother them as they will be on full pay.

Life in jail is all about the rights of prisoners. Criminals can be ruthless and merciless against their victims, torturing, raping and murdering them, but their own rights must not be violated.

They must be treated with the dignity of a human being when arrested and convicted.

Is it any wonder then that our crime rate is so high and why so many South Africans turn to a life of crime?

The chances of getting caught are slim and the conviction rate is very low. If eventually they do go to prison, they can still have a good time.

The law favours the criminal. T MARKANDAN Silverglen