Cells in the old division were not designed with flushing toilets, as they were considered a security risk at the time. Photo: Darrin Zammit Lupi

About 120 prison inmates at Corradino Correctional Facility have no flushing toilet in their cell, this newspaper has learnt.

Sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity said that for the past few years, the prison’s old division had been used because rest was at full capacity. Cells in the old division were not designed to have flushing toilets, since they were regarded as a security risk at the time the facility was built, the sources added.

Home Affairs Minister Michael Farrugia confirmed in Parliament earlier this week that some prison cells lacked flushing toilets. He acknowledged that the matter had long been an issue, adding that apart from the toilets, there were logistical and structural problems.

Noting that the prison population caused infrastructural complications that made installing flushing toilets difficult, he said a lack of space exacerbated things.

“There is also an issue with finding a place to house the inmates when works are under way. The government is committed to addressing this problem and we are evaluating all options,” Dr Farrugia said.

According to the sources, moving the inmates around to carry out the upgrades may prove to be difficult, since most of the cells are already occupied.

Moving them to upgrade the cells could be difficult

“We’re in 2017, and these things are still an issue. Of course, prisoners have no say about where they are placed, and, as the prison is full, moving them around to upgrade the cells could be difficult,” the sources said.

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Living conditions at the Paola prison were decried by the Council of Europe’s anti-torture committee in a report last year, which described the situation there as “generally poor” with “ingrained dirt” on the walls.

The Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment also identified problems with the showers and drainage systems.