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April 25, 2008
BEIRUT, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Riots at Lebanon's largest prison ended peacefully on early Friday, when prisoners freed seven guard hostages and got in return promises to improve their living conditions, local As Safir daily reported.
Security Chief Gen. Ashraf Rifi, who participated in a nine-hour-long negotiation with the prisoners in Roumiyeh, northeast of Beirut, said in a press conference Friday morning that they would examine prisoners' demands and consider implementing a law which calculates nine months of prison as one year.
"Some of their demands will be met," Rifi was quoted as saying. The security official said the prisoners handed over the seven hostages and returned to their cells after negotiating their demands with Internal Security Chief Antoine Shakuri in the presence of Judge Jean Fahad, local An Nahar daily reported. The prisoners at Roumiyeh demanded improvement in their living conditions and a reduction of their sentences.
Security sources said the riot began with a quarrel Thursday afternoon between a Lebanese guard and a Palestinian inmate serving a life sentence for assassinating a Jordanian diplomat in Beirut in 1994.
The inmates burned mattresses and set the floor on fire, while around 200 of them headed to the kitchen and took knives and sharp instruments in the riots.
A major riot took place at Roumiyeh prison in 2004 when Islamist prisoners rebelled over the conditions of their cells. Currently more than 4,000 prisoners are held behind the bars in Roumiyeh jail, which was set up in 1971.
Lebanese prison riots end, hostages freed
April 25, 2008
BEIRUT, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Riots at Lebanon's largest prison ended peacefully on early Friday, when prisoners freed seven guard hostages and got in return promises to improve their living conditions, local As Safir daily reported.
Security Chief Gen. Ashraf Rifi, who participated in a nine-hour-long negotiation with the prisoners in Roumiyeh, northeast of Beirut, said in a press conference Friday morning that they would examine prisoners' demands and consider implementing a law which calculates nine months of prison as one year.
"Some of their demands will be met," Rifi was quoted as saying. The security official said the prisoners handed over the seven hostages and returned to their cells after negotiating their demands with Internal Security Chief Antoine Shakuri in the presence of Judge Jean Fahad, local An Nahar daily reported. The prisoners at Roumiyeh demanded improvement in their living conditions and a reduction of their sentences.
Security sources said the riot began with a quarrel Thursday afternoon between a Lebanese guard and a Palestinian inmate serving a life sentence for assassinating a Jordanian diplomat in Beirut in 1994.
The inmates burned mattresses and set the floor on fire, while around 200 of them headed to the kitchen and took knives and sharp instruments in the riots.
A major riot took place at Roumiyeh prison in 2004 when Islamist prisoners rebelled over the conditions of their cells. Currently more than 4,000 prisoners are held behind the bars in Roumiyeh jail, which was set up in 1971.