Extremist recruitment in SADC jails   |14 April 2023

Mr St Ange (right) with the deputy commissioner of Namibia Correction Service and the acting Commissioner of Mauritius Prison Service (centre)

Seychelles prison commissioner St Ange joins heads of prisons services to tackle the issue

Commissioner of Seychelles Prison Raymond St Ange is among heads of corrections, prisons, and penitentiary services from the Southern African Development Community who are meeting at Walvis Bay, in Namibia.

Chief inspector Wilfred Radegonde of Seychelles Prison Service, who is also the officer in charge of the Montagne Posée prison, is also attending the meeting.

According to an article published by The Namibian newspaper, the meeting, which ends today, aims to address growing concerns that places of detention have become targets for the recruitment of potential violent extremists and violent attacks aimed at freeing recruits.

Hosted by Namibia’s Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, the week-long event emphasised the importance of correctional services in maintaining national and regional security.

“Correctional services play a crucial role in maintaining national and regional security by averting extremist recruitment within institutions and implementing security measures for preparedness and readiness for attacks,” Namibia’s safety and security minister Albert Kawana said at the opening of the meeting on Wednesday in a speech read on his behalf by ministry executive director Ettienne Maritz.

He underscored the significance of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region in implementing a counter-terrorism strategy to ensure peace and stability, focusing on prevention and readiness to counter violent extremism and radicalisation within correctional, prison and penitentiary institutions.

Acting director of the organ on politics, defence, and security affairs of the SADC secretariat, Kealeboga Moruti, emphasised the multidimensional nature of peace and security and the need for a holistic approach.

She said conflict prevention and peace building require a multisectoral approach involving correctional, prison and penitentiary services as critical partners.

During the workshop, delegates discussed various approaches to addressing the challenges of managing violent extremist prisoners, including dynamic security, intelligence gathering, overcoming conditioning and the assessment and classification of violent extreme offenders.

Additionally, the workshop explored deradicalisation programming and delivery, as well as the well-being and protection of employees working with these high-risk populations.

“The growing concern of radicalisation and violent extremism within our prison systems cannot be ignored. A well-managed and well-equipped correctional service sector is essential for rehabilitation and integration, as poorly managed institutions could become breeding grounds for radicalisation and extremism,” Ms Moruti said.

The SADC heads of corrections aim to identify priorities and strategies in the management of violent extremist prisoners and to develop a regional action plan for their effective management.

The SADC region has a sub-committee ‒ Corrections/Prisons Sub Committee (C/PSC) ‒ which provides a platform for heads of corrections/prisons to meet annually in order to enable a co-operation between SADC member States on issues related to correctional/prisons and penitentiary services. Furthermore, the committee oversees common regional challenges including harmonising and transforming correctional/prison services and move them beyond being punitive only and rather focus more on successful rehabilitation and reintegration programmes of offenders into society.

Compiled by Gerard Govinden