Black Beach ( es, Playa Negra), located on the island of
Bioko, in the capital city of
Malabo
Malabo ( , ; formerly Santa Isabel) is the capital of Equatorial Guinea and the province of Bioko Norte. It is located on the north coast of the island of Bioko, ( bvb, Etulá, and as ''Fernando Pó'' by the Europeans). In 2018, the city had a ...
in
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea ( es, Guinea Ecuatorial; french: Guinée équatoriale; pt, Guiné Equatorial), officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea ( es, link=no, República de Guinea Ecuatorial, french: link=no, République de Guinée équatoria ...
, is one of Africa's most notorious
prison
A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, corre ...
s.
History
The prison was built in the
1940s during the time of the
Spanish colonial rule. At first common criminals were imprisoned here, but after the
independence of the country in 1968 and the establishment of the dictatorship of
Francisco Macías Nguema, many political opponents were imprisoned and killed in the prison, including
Bonifacio Ondó Edu and Edmundo Bossio.
Reputation
It has a reputation for systematically neglecting and brutalising inmates. Medical treatment is usually denied to inmates and food rations are said to be meager,
despite the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmoni ...
'
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners requiring minimal medical treatment for all prisoners.
Noted individuals linked with the prison
Former governor
The
President of Equatorial Guinea,
Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, is a former
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
of Black Beach Prison.
His uncle and predecessor,
Francisco Macías Nguema, was imprisoned here after he was overthrown in a
1979 coup d'état, and was subsequently executed by firing squad.
Prisoners
Black Beach has held a number of foreign prisoners, mainly mercenaries sentenced for participating in a
2004 coup d'état attempt against the President of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.
These included
Nick du Toit
Servaas Nicolaas "Niek" du Toit is a former South African arms dealer, former mercenary and former colonel of 32 Battalion and the 5th Reconnaissance Commando. He was implicated in the plot to overthrow Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea.
Fa ...
and alleged ringleader,
Simon Mann, until their presidential pardon on 2 and 3 November 2009 respectively, on humanitarian grounds.
Ramón Esono Ebalé spent 6 months in Black Beach until he was released in March 2018 after a police officer admitted to falsely accusing him based on orders from his superiors.
Several people have been jailed there in the over the 40 years of dictatorship. Among those imprisoned and tortured are many political leaders such as Rafael Upiñalo (Movimiento),
Fabián Nsue (UP), Felipe Ondo Obiang (FDR), Martín Puye of Movement for the Self-Determination of Bioko Island (MAIB) or
Plácido Micó of the Social Democratic Convergence for Social Democracy (CPDS).
References
External links
Guillermo Nguema Ela, Donato Ondó Ondó and other detainees in Black Beach prisonAmnesty International
* {{cite news , date=2 June 2007 , url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/inside-black-beach-prison-the-hell-hole-awaiting-dog-of-war-simon-mann-6587521.html , title=Inside Black Beach prison, the 'hell hole' awaiting Dog of War Simon Mann , newspaper= London Evening Standard
Bioko
Law of Equatorial Guinea
Prisons in Equatorial Guinea