Both the government and the Opposition agree in principle with the introduction of the parole system but work is still needed to fine-tune the details, Mid-Dlam Ghad-Dawl (MDD) director Mark Montebello said yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference held in front of the Law Courts, Fr Montebello said that the MDD had proposed introducing the system that allows prisoners to apply for parole after serving one-third of their prison sentence.

“At present, prisoners can apply for remission on basis of good conduct after they serving two-thirds of their sentence. They are released without supervision,” said Fr Montebello.

The MDD are also setting up a shelter for newly released prisoners who have nowhere to go, he added.

The Social Solidarity and Family Ministry have provided MDD with a building in the south of Malta that will be used as a shelter for inmates who leave prison.

“Out of the 15 inmates who leave prison every month, there is, on average, one person who does not have a home to go to and ends up sleeping in bus shelters or under the bastions,” said Fr Montebello.

The shelter will be called L-Ewwel Kenn (the first shelter) and can take up to three people. Fr Montebello added that MDD will be working closely with Agenzija Appogg which in turn will help find alternate accommodation.

He pointed out that volunteers help both Maltese and foreign prisoners.

The NGO provides day-to-day utilities, financial assistance and helps prisoners with family problems.

They also provide clothing, reading material and liase with the prison authorities, explained Fr Montebello.

However, in 2006, MDD volunteers were denied access to Division 6 but were given access to Division 13 after not being allowed to do so for almost 18 months, he added.

Almost half of the cases (49 per cent) handled by MDD concerned Maltese prisoners and 51 per cent were foreigners.

October and November were the two months with the highest caseload, with 57 cases in October and 52 in November, while January (10) and February (11) had the lowest number of cases.

Requests for utilities and clothing were the highest amounting to 22.4 per cent of all cases.

Fr Montebello said they received the most requests for help from the female division – 41.3 per cent.

He also pointed out that the government has not granted amnesty to prisoners since 2000.

“In light of the forthcoming canonisation of Dun Gorg Preca, the MDD are appealing to the government to give prisoners and their families a ray of hope,” said Fr Montebello.

MDD have also submitted a request to the United Nations to declare 11 February as World Prison Awareness Day – a day dedicated to prisoners around the world.

The aim, said Fr Montebello, is to highlight human rights issues in relation to people in prison around the world.

He said that there are over nine million prisoners around the world. Of these, one million are children and another half a million are women and girls.

MDD is proposing 11 February as World Prison Awareness Day because on that same day in 1990, Nelson Mandela was released after spending 27 years in jail.

“Mandela’s victory was a sign of hope for all prisoners around the world; this is why his date of release is significant for all prisoners around the world,” said Fr Montebello.

However, he added, the UN will not officially declare 11 February as World Prison Awareness Day unless there is sufficient support.

So far, a total of 27 countries have signed up following MDD’s initiative, among which are the UK, Italy, USA, Serbia, Ireland, Australia, Canada and Spain. Both the government and the Opposition agree in principle with the introduction of the parole system but work is still needed to fine-tune the details, Mid-Dlam Ghad-Dawl (MDD) director Mark Montebello said yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference held in front of the Law Courts, Fr Montebello said that the MDD had proposed introducing the system that allows prisoners to apply for parole after serving one-third of their prison sentence.

“At present, prisoners can apply for remission on basis of good conduct after they serving two-thirds of their sentence. They are released without supervision,” said Fr Montebello.

The MDD are also setting up a shelter for newly released prisoners who have nowhere to go, he added.

The Social Solidarity and Family Ministry have provided MDD with a building in the south of Malta that will be used as a shelter for inmates who leave prison.

“Out of the 15 inmates who leave prison every month, there is, on average, one person who does not have a home to go to and ends up sleeping in bus shelters or under the bastions,” said Fr Montebello.

The shelter will be called L-Ewwel Kenn (the first shelter) and can take up to three people. Fr Montebello added that MDD will be working closely with Agenzija Appogg which in turn will help find alternate accommodation.

He pointed out that volunteers help both Maltese and foreign prisoners.

The NGO provides day-to-day utilities, financial assistance and helps prisoners with family problems.

They also provide clothing, reading material and liase with the prison authorities, explained Fr Montebello.

However, in 2006, MDD volunteers were denied access to Division 6 but were given access to Division 13 after not being allowed to do so for almost 18 months, he added.

Almost half of the cases (49 per cent) handled by MDD concerned Maltese prisoners and 51 per cent were foreigners.

October and November were the two months with the highest caseload, with 57 cases in October and 52 in November, while January (10) and February (11) had the lowest number of cases.

Requests for utilities and clothing were the highest amounting to 22.4 per cent of all cases.

Fr Montebello said they received the most requests for help from the female division – 41.3 per cent.

He also pointed out that the government has not granted amnesty to prisoners since 2000.

“In light of the forthcoming canonisation of Dun Gorg Preca, the MDD are appealing to the government to give prisoners and their families a ray of hope,” said Fr Montebello.

MDD have also submitted a request to the United Nations to declare 11 February as World Prison Awareness Day – a day dedicated to prisoners around the world.

The aim, said Fr Montebello, is to highlight human rights issues in relation to people in prison around the world.

He said that there are over nine million prisoners around the world. Of these, one million are children and another half a million are women and girls.

MDD is proposing 11 February as World Prison Awareness Day because on that same day in 1990, Nelson Mandela was released after spending 27 years in jail.

“Mandela’s victory was a sign of hope for all prisoners around the world; this is why his date of release is significant for all prisoners around the world,” said Fr Montebello.

However, he added, the UN will not officially declare 11 February as World Prison Awareness Day unless there is sufficient support.

So far, a total of 27 countries have signed up following MDD’s initiative, among which are the UK, Italy, USA, Serbia, Ireland, Australia, Canada and Spain.