Sunday 2 July 2006

Zahid Mubarek

The news is always distressing, but this is what depressed me most last week: the lack of accountability of those who were 'involved' in the murder of Zahid Mubarek in March 2000. The 19 year old Asian man, serving a 90 day sentence, was beaten to death with a table leg by his racist cellmate Robert Stewart the day he (Zahid) was due to be released. Robert Stewart was known to be racist and to have a severe personality disorder. The report into Zahid's death concluded that Stewart was too dangerous to be sharing a cell. After the discovery of Zahid's bludgeoned body, Stewart was moved to another cell where he carved a swastika with the heel of his boot. Two of the prison officials have been promoted since the murder.

No comments: