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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 23 January 2018

Guards block French prisons as assault protest enters week 2

By ELAINE GANLEY movement was gaining “It’s anger, determination,
Associated Press momentum. it’s in the guts,” he said. “It’s
PARIS (AP) — Protesting However, the decision by exactly everything we’ve
guards blocked dozens of Justice Minister Nicole Bel- been saying for years and
France’s 188 prisons Mon- loubet to take part in talks years and years ... It’s my
day as a conflict triggered with union officials Monday colleagues that I see get
by inmate attacks entered made clear that authorities knifed, go to the psycholo-
its second week. Two new considered the situation gist because they’ve been
assaults over the weekend potentially explosive. attacked.”
fanned the fervor. No agreement was Attacks in about a half-
About 100 guards protest- reached Monday, but both dozen prisons — including
ed in front of the Marseille sides agreed to meet again by Muslim inmates who are
prison, setting a small fire on Tuesday. Improved se- suspected of being radical-
and blocking the entranc- curity, the addition of 1,100 ized — have fueled guards’
es until riot police moved new positions over four demands for improved
them out, some forcibly. years and indemnities are working conditions.
At Europe’s largest pris- among the topics to be dis- A prisoner assaulted a
on, Fleury-Merogis, south cussed. guard with a chair on Sun-
of Paris, about 50 guards “I want concrete results day at the prison in Cha-
blocked the entrance for ... very quickly,” Belloubet teauroux, south of Paris,
several hours. told reporters. allegedly shouting “Allahu
As of Monday afternoon, Thibault Capelle, head of akbar,” Arabic for “God is
police officers were called the Workers’ Force union at great,” the Prison Admin-
in to work at seven of the Fleury-Merogis prison, said istration confirmed. The
13 prisons where guards re- ahead of the meeting that inmate was armed with a
fused to take up their posts, guards were determined to homemade weapon and
France’s Prison Administra- improve their working con- wasn’t known for extremist
tion said. ditions. views, it said.
Blockades prevented “It’s out of the question At Longuenesse prison in
guards from entering 10 that we give up,” he said in the northern Pas de Cal-
other prisons, the correc- an interview on the prison ais region on Sunday, two
tions agency said. grounds. guards were injured by
Union officials claimed the “Little reforms” and “stop- a prisoner who attacked
protests affected at least gap” measures were unac- Prison staff burn pallets and tyres as they block the Baumettes them with a table leg, the
115 prisons to varying de- ceptable solutions to prob- prison in Marseille, southern France, Monday Jan. 22, 2018. Prison Administration said.
Scores of unionized prison guards working at Europe’s largest
grees. The actions lasted lems that have endured for prison, Fleury-Mergois prison, along with others were demanding There are some 4,000 ag-
a matter of hours at some decades, be it insufficient more security, more resources and safer handling of violent gressions against guards
locations, making it diffi- staff or lack of proper secu- inmates. per year, according to the
cult to gauge if the guards’ rity, Capelle said. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) administration.q

German nurse charged with 97 more murders at hospitals

By GEIR MOULSON The new indictment against 2015 of two murders and them. He later told inves- when a new trial at the
Associated Press Niels Hoegel was expected two attempted murders in tigators that he also killed state court in Oldenburg
BERLIN (AP) — A German after officials said in No- Delmenhorst and was giv- patients in Oldenburg. might start. Additional con-
nurse who is already serv- vember that he may have en a life sentence. Those statements prompt- victions could affect Hoe-
ing a life sentence for two killed more than 100 pa- During his trial, Hoegel ed investigators to carry gel’s possibility of parole,
murders has been charged tients in total. He worked at had said he intentionally out toxicological examina- but there are no consecu-
with killing 97 more patients a clinic in Oldenburg from brought about cardiac tions on dozens of other pa- tive sentences in Germany.
over several years at two 1999 to 2002 and in nearby crises in about 90 patients tients who died at the hos- In general, people serving
hospitals in northwestern Delmenhorst from 2003 to in Delmenhorst because pitals, leading to the new life sentences are consid-
Germany, prosecutors said 2005. he enjoyed the feeling of charges. ered for parole after 15
Monday. Hoegel was convicted in being able to resuscitate It wasn’t immediately clear years.q