Ecuador: Four lawyers detained and later released in riot at a Quito prison

Four lawyers were detained in a new mutiny of prisoners in a prison in Ecuadorwhich ended on Thursday mid-afternoon with the intervention of the police to free the defenders who were visiting clients in the penitentiary center in the north of Quito.

The 64 prisoners linked to the uprising demanded transfer to another prison citing threats from rival groups. Clashes between prisoners have been recurring in the South American country in the last three years, leaving a total of 446 dead inmates between 2021 and 2022.

LOOK HERE: Ecuador: The femicide of María Belén Bernal is sentenced to 34 years and 8 months in prison

Before the episode of Thursday in the jail of The Incalocated in the capital in the middle of residential neighborhoods, a strong police contingent was deployed to subdue the inmates who managed to leave the pavilion where they were, confirmed to the press the deputy commander of the district police, colonel Juan Orquera.

For two hours, tactical groups of the police intervened with tear gas, “non-lethal ammunition and chemical agents”, according to the police chief, which allowed them to regain control and “recover” to the apprehended. The four lawyers were released and their health was not affected.

There were also no casualties or injuries.

The Ecuadorian prison system has been facing a crisis since 2019, due to violent confrontations that the authorities attribute to power disputes between organized crime groups. In February 2021, 79 inmates were murdered in two prisons in Guayaquil and in Latacunga. It was the first major massacre in the prison system.

MORE INFORMATION: Ecuador: Three dead and at least 20 injured leave a traffic accident on the outskirts of Quito

The riot with the most victims occurred in September of that year in the Litoral Penitentiary Guayaquil, the largest in the country, when 119 inmates were killed in clashes with other inmates. Two months later, 68 prisoners died in the same jail.

The last riot with victims occurred last April, also at the Litoral Penitentiary, leaving 12 inmates dead.

Source: Elcomercio

jack

I am Jack Morton and I work in 24 News Recorder. I mostly cover world news and I have also authored 24 news recorder. I find this work highly interesting and it allows me to keep up with current events happening around the world.