AL-JOUF, 28 February 2008 — A riot that erupted in a prison in the northern border town of Arar over a request to watch satellite TV was brought under control by security officials, police said yesterday. The rioting on Monday night left several inmates and police officers injured.
Inmates of the Arar Central Prison walked out of wardsaround 8.30 p.m. on Monday and refused to go back until their demand to watch satellite TV channels was met, said Col. Bandar Al-Ayda, spokesman for the Northern Border Region Police.
“Some inmates refused to return to their wards unless their demands were approved. The actions to bring the situation under control resulted in the rioting. A total of five men, including two security men, were injured during the altercation,” Al-Ayda said.
The demands of the rioters also included changes in their daily ration, he said.
Al-Ayda said security forces regained control of the prison late Monday. Witnesses reported that gunshots were heard inside the prison and ambulances were seen evacuating the wounded to hospital.
Al-Ayda said when the prisoners turned belligerent the jail chief tried to pacify them by holding negotiations with their leaders. But while the prisoners’ representatives were meeting with the jail officials, some prisoners damaged doors of their wards and others started a riot outside. In the ensuing melee a few warders and inmates suffered minor injuries, the police spokesman said. “All the injured were given necessary treatment and are now in good health,” he said.
Al-Ayda added that the jail officials resorted to routine security procedures to bring the situation under control.
According to a jail source, the inmates of Ward No. 4 made a bid to break out at 8:30 p.m. after staging a hunger strike demanding that the jail authorities allow some popular satellite TV channels in their wards.
“An inmate attacked some guards while they were questioning him. But when he was sent back to the ward, he attempted to break the door of his cell, which prompted intervention of the warders. This was followed by a violent clash between the guards and inmates,” said the source.
He said the prisoners used clubs and sharp objects to attack the guards, and they broke several doors and bulbs. They also vandalized the jail’s operations room, he added.
“Some of them ran to the roof of the jail in a bid to escape but security forces immediately surrounded the prison and stopped them,” the source said.
According to local residents, a number of gunshots were heard inside the prison. They said security officers were seen deploying around the prison. Several ambulances were seen entering the jail premises to evacuate the wounded.
“We found security forces cordoning off the jail area and Red Crescent ambulances rushing in and taking out wounded people,” one resident told Arab News.
According to a hospital source, the emergency room in the Arar Central Hospital received several security officers and prisoners with minor injuries.
The source said that the leader of the rioters, a murder convict, was among the injured.
