Algeria: Prisoners to make face masks

Posted On 17 April 2020

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Algiers, April 17, 2020 – Inmates at 30 Algerian prisons are being mobilised to make personal protective equipment to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus, official news agency APS reported. Authorities will “open sewing workshops for the production of 200,000 masks by prisoners in 30 penitentiaries… to meet their own needs and those of the courts”, prisons chief Faycal Bourbala told APS on Thursday.  Prisoners will also make clothing and protective suits for medical personnel

, he added, with disinfection chambers also being manufactured at three facilities. Prisoners will take part on a voluntary basis at the sewing workshops,which already exist and mainly attract female detainees who want to become dressmakers.

Authorities say no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 illness have been detected among 58,000 inmates at the country’s 150 prison facilities. Since the start of the outbreak, the justice ministry has suspended family visits and ordered new prisoners into 14-day quarantines in isolated rooms. Inmates are not allowed to leave the prisons except in case of emergency, and all direct contact with their lawyers has been banned.

According to officially declared figures, Algeria has seen Africa’s deadliest coronavirus outbreak so far. It has seen 348 deaths and 2,268 cases since the end of February, from a population of 44 million.

AFP
Other Articles in this Week's Issue<< Tunisia: A Tunisian initiative to identify potential Covid-19 carriersAlgerian diplomat Lamamra withdraw from UN Libya envoy consideration >>
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Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.

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