Probe into prison beating to focus on guards’ failure to protect inmate

An investigation into the beating of a 19-year-old murder suspect in Avlona Prison, north of Athens, by a group of inmates, is to focus on the role of prison staff, Justice Minister Michalis Kalogirou indicated on Wednesday.

The 19-year-old Albanian man is in pretrial custody in connection with the sexual assault and murder of a 21-year-old woman on Rhodes at the end of last month, for which a 21-year-old Greek man is also being charged.

According to Kalogirou, the prison guards were given strict instructions to put the 19-year-old in solitary confinement and take special measures to protect him from possible attack by other inmates.

“He was alone in a cell in a special area, separate from common detention areas, so that he could not be in contact with other detainees,” the minister said.

“However, other inmates breached three doors to get to him and attack him verbally and physically,” the minister said, refuting reports that the 19-year-old was raped by his attackers.