16 October 2003
Ahmed Zaoui has been transferred to Auckland Central Remand Prison (ACRP) today, following a review of his management plan, says Phil McCarthy, General Manager, Public Prisons Service.
“Since his arrest last December, he has been held in Auckland Prison on a non-association regime. The regime permitted regular contact with staff and visitors, four and a half hours daily out of his cell, but limited contact with other inmates. Mr Zaoui has also received regular medical oversight, and a check following Professor Taylor’s report indicates no health areas of concern.
“Nonetheless, I asked for a review of his management plan given the length of time he has been in custody, the likely length of time before legal proceedings conclude, and following a recent psychological report commissioned by Mr Zaoui’s lawyers,” says Mr McCarthy.
“We have carefully considered our own experience of Mr Zaoui, have consulted the Immigration Service and have asked the Police to advise if they continue to have views about Mr Zaoui’s placement. They do not. Therefore, on the basis of the information currently available to us, Corrections considers that Mr Zaoui no longer requires the high security, restricted association placement at Auckland Prison.
“ACRP is the most suitable placement, being the Auckland region’s specialist remand facility. It is among the department’s newest remand facilities and is managed by Australasian Correctional Management.”
Inmates held on Immigration warrants are treated as remand inmates, who are in turn managed as high-medium security.
“Mr Zaoui will initially be placed on a non-association regime, according to standard practice at ACRP. This allows time for Mr Zaoui to settle into his new environment and for staff to assess him. He will be limited to one hour’s unlock per day during this period. However, his cell has its own exterior exercise yard and he will have full access to this between 7am and 6pm each day. He will be reassessed at least within seven days. In all likelihood within 48 hours and provided there are no contra-indications, the expectation is that he will then be placed on a normal association regime.
“This will mean he will be unlocked for extended periods of time, have access to programmes, library and gymnasium at designated times during the week, will associate with other inmates and be considered for weekday visits.
“His lawyers have been advised of his new placement, and they will have access to him immediately, this afternoon, should they and he choose to do so.
“I want to take the opportunity to de-bunk a myth,” says Mr McCarthy. “We do not use the term ‘solitary confinement’ in the New Zealand corrections system. There are punishment regimes that would see an inmate, for short periods of time, in isolation cells. There are other reasons why, from time to time, an inmate may be denied the ability to physically associate with other inmates.
“However, the term ‘solitary confinement’, for many people, conjures up the notion of months of complete isolation in a small single cell. As we have repeatedly said, Mr Zaoui, though physically separated from other inmates, has lived in a large, grille-fronted cell, which has a radio and television. He has been able to leave that cell, either in a corridor area where he can see other inmates, in a workshop, or in an exercise yard, for four and a half hours per day. He has had many visitors, regular contact with corrections officers and health staff, and twice-weekly phone calls to his family.”