WINDHOEK, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Namibia is seeking to ratify the Southern African Development Community (SADC) protocol on the interstate transfer of sentenced offenders, which would allow convicted individuals to serve their sentences in their home countries, a government official said Wednesday.
Speaking in Parliament, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security Lucia Witbooi said the move aims to strengthen regional cooperation on justice and rehabilitation.
"The importance of inmate serving their sentences close to their families cannot be over-emphasized, as it is critical for their rehabilitation and reintegration into society," she said.
Namibia signed the protocol on Aug. 18, 2019, after its approval by SADC leaders in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, but it still requires ratification by the National Assembly.
As of Feb. 17, Namibia had 465 foreign inmates, including 450 from SADC countries and 15 from outside the region, while 69 Namibian citizens were serving sentences in various SADC countries.
According to Witbooi, transferring foreign inmates back to their home countries could ease overcrowding in Namibian correctional facilities and reduce government costs.
"The ratification of this protocol presents an opportunity to address these pressing issues. This is not merely a matter of legal protocol, it is a matter of compassion, rehabilitation, and social reintegration," she added.
The initiative aligns with international human rights standards, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Nelson Mandela Rules, which emphasize rehabilitation and reintegration.
As of May 30, 2024, 11 SADC member states had signed the protocol, but only Mauritius had ratified it, according to the SADC Secretariat.
The SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ has urged them to complete the ratification process and report progress at the next meeting of the Committee of Ministers Responsible for Public Security and Safety in 2025. ■
