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Thursday, June 25, 2009

UN chief 'distressed' by rape of 20 inmates


Agence France-Presse
First Posted 08:50:00 06/24/2009

Filed Under: Crime and Law and Justice, Crime, Rape, Foreign affairs & international relations

UNITED NATIONS--UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday said he was "deeply distressed" by the rape and assault of some 20 female inmates during a breakout bid from Goma's central prison in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

"I am deeply distressed by the rape and assault of about 20 female inmates during an attempted escape from Goma's central prison," he said in a statement. "This a grim example of both the prison conditions and the level of sexual violence that plagues the DRC."

The UN secretary general called on Kinshasa authorities to "bring to justice those who have committed these crimes and, more generally, to renew efforts to bring an end to the impunity too often enjoyed by perpetrators of sexual violence."

Two persons were killed and some 20 female inmates were raped during the night of Sunday to Monday when detained soldiers mutinied and tried to break out of Goma's central prison which holds 837 inmates, including some 500 soldiers.

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