Krejcir’s rights being ‘violated’
Embassy, family demand conditions in jail be improved for 50-year-old Czech mobster
SAMEER NAIK
THE Embassy of the Czech Republic has again demanded an improvement of prison conditions for Czech mobster Radovan Krejcir.
The pressure from the embassy comes a week after the Krejcir family hit out at the Department of Correctional Services over his alleged “inhumane treatment”.
They believe the 50-year-old’s rights have been violated at Leeuwkop maximum security prison.
The family claims Krejcir has not received adequate health care, has been denied the right to call his attorneys, has not been allowed to study as other inmates do, and is also not able to properly prepare for his trials. They also maintain his prison cell is too small.
Anna Syková, the head of the consular and cultural section at the Embassy of the Czech Republic, said it had contacted Correctional Services on two separate occasions urging it to address Krejcir’s prison conditions, but havdn’t heard back from the department.
“The embassy has still not received any replies to two letters sent in 2018, addressed to Leeuwkop maximum prison management,” said Syková.
The embassy said complaints of “inhumane treatment” were justifiable after its visits to Krejcir at Leeuwkop last month.
“After the most recent consular visit on April 24, 2019, the embassy concludes that the complaints of Mr Krejcir are justifiable and compliance of his prison conditions are not met within the law.”
Krejcir was convicted of attempted murder, kidnapping and dealing in drugs in 2015 and was sentenced to 35 years in jail.
The embassy had several objections to Krejcir’s prison conditions, which it said were not in compliance with the judicial decisions of South Africa’s courts and within the findings and recommendations of the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (Jics) .
“Mr Krejcir is located in a prison cell the size of 3.90m2. According to the findings of Jics, his cell should be at least a minimum of 5.5m2 in accordance with the UN Standard Minimum Rules (the Nelson Mandela Rules). In this regard we consider this fact as a violation of human rights,” said Syková.
“Also, according to the High Court order Mr Krejcir is entitled to have reasonable access to an orthopaedic surgeon, urologist and a psychiatrist.
“According to the results of the MRI examination and medical report by Dr Mayoyo, Mr Krejcir has a serious problem with his back. The doctor prescribed a schedule of rehabilitations for Mr Krejcir, but this schedule has not been followed by the prison management and the result is that Mr Krejcir still has ongoing pain in his back.
“Mr Krejcir is also again in segregation (23 hours alone) and this regime is against the court order issued in 2017. He also has no access to his legal documentation so he cannot prepare for the next court hearing and he has not been allowed contact with his lawyers in the Czech Republic.”
The embassy said either Krejcir’s prison conditions be improved, or the department should move him to a different prison.
“We are appealing for an urgent improvement of prison conditions of Mr Krejcir at Leeuwkop maximum prison,” said Syková.
“If these conditions cannot be met at Leeuwkop maximum prison, the embassy recommends a transfer for Mr Krejcir to another prison where these conditions will be in compliance of the law and the court orders of the Republic of South Africa.”
The department labelled the accusations “untrue and baseless”.
“It should be noted that the department will continue to provide the same humane incarceration to offenders, including Radovan Krejcir, without compromising their human rights and security,” spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said.
The Jics said it had been in regular consultation with Krejcir.
“With regard to the complaints raised by inmate, Mr Krejcir, Jics are consulting him regularly and the last time he was consulted was on May 11 2019,” said Murasiet Mentoor, regional manager of the northern management region.
“All complaints raised by inmate Mr Krejcir have been dealt with or is in progress of being dealt with by the department and Jics are monitoring the progress thereof.
“It is important to note that on Saturday when a Jics staff member consulted inmate Mr Krejcir, he had no new complaints. However, we are still following up his former complaints recorded.”
Mentoor added that the Jics did not interfere with court orders.
“It’s a separate process from Jics complaints system and we do not have a mandate to enforce court orders.”