Letter to Mr Nelson Mandela
H.E Mr Nelson Mandela
Former President of the Republic of South Africa
RSA
Your Excellency,
In my capacity as Director of the Mauritius Section of Amnesty International (AIMS), I feel myself bound to take up a heart-breaking problem that concerns 29 South African citizens presently held in Mauritius jails for a number of offenses, mostly for drug dealing. Amnesty International strongly believes that anyone who contravenes the laws of a country, provided, they are not iniquitous, must be held accountable and punished. However, we also believe that certain conditions pertaining to human rights and dignity should necessarily be observed. As things stand presently, most of the South African prisoners do not, or rather, for economic reasons, cannot have the visit of their relatives. Conditions of imprisonment, in terms of food, loneliness and communication leave a lot to be desired. The psychological stress is, without a doubt, unbearable especially over a long period of time.
AIMS, in turn, therefore, humbly turns to you to find out whether you could request your Government to initiate discussions with the Mauritius Authorities for the establishment of a legal framework whereby any condemned person would be called upon to spend his/her jail term in his/her country of origin. The extradition process would include guarantees that the Court rulings would be strictly observed. AIMS is in a position to state that the present Mauritius Attorney General is not opposed to any such discussion and eventual protocol.