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Thursday, 28.03.2024, 21:46
Tsarist-era prison in Riga to be closed
Spure indicated that for a long time the Prison
Administration has been functioning in the conditions of limited funding and
that many correctional facilities had obsolete infrastructure that could no longer
be upgraded in line with modern standards.
Commenting on the decision to close Brasa Prison, Spure said
that the construction of the compound in Brasa, which was meant to be a
jailhouse from the very beginning, started back in 1905. However, as prison standards
changed in the course of time, several of the building’s premises became
unsuitable for housing inmates, for example, due to the lack of windows.
Furthermore, since Brasa Prison is situated in a very
limited territory it has no security perimeter and the prison’s proximity to
residential and other buildings means additional security risks, Spure
explained.
Commenting on the future of the prison’s staff, Spure said
that all employees working at the prison would be offered other jobs either in
Riga or Riga Region.
Justice Ministry State Secretary Raivis Kronbergs informed
that a decision on the old prison building would be made in the nearest future.
The plan is to close Brasa Prison on April 1, 2019, saving
EUR 3.5 a year in the government budget.
The inmates currently jailed in Brasa Prison will be
transferred to other correctional facilities.