GANTA, Nimba – Some of the Nimba prisoners granted clemency on Dec. 31 by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf are said to be in extremely poor health.

Armstrong Selekpoh, the chairman of the Nimba Education Guard and one of the men involved in securing the release of the prisoners, told The Bush Chicken that three of the five pardoned convicts were already receiving medical attention due to the “very poor” health conditions experienced during their time in jail.

The five prisoners from Nimba were released from the Buchanan Central Prison and had been convicted of vandalizing facilities belonging to ArcelorMittal in 2013 after a demonstration turned into a riot.

“Most of [the released prisoners] have a serious medical problem,” Selekpoh said. “Their conditions are very pitiful, very disturbing. [When] you see them, tears [will] set in your eyes – our jail houses are not like [those in] Europe or America.”

Selekpoh said one of the 11 convicted Nimbaians became blind while in prison. “Wuo Gbala [is] extremely blind,” he added. “He hardly recognizes people. If you were to stand a few meters away from him, he wouldn’t recognize the clothes you have on.”

He said while one of the prisoners died in his cell, several were now blind and others now suffer from lesser ailments such as stomach pains.

Every year, organizations like Human Rights Watch and the U.S. State Department publish reports that cite the harsh and “life threatening” situations in prisons across Liberia. Overcrowding, the lack of sanitary facilities, and inadequate medical care are some of the hazards often mentioned.

Featured photo by Floris van Halm