Over 1,000 prisoners sew their mouths shut in protest over jail conditions

Over the last few weeks, the former Soviet state of Krygyztan has seen huge protests against draconian prison conditions across the country.

Prison authorities have reported that over 1,000 inmates have sewn or stapled their mouths shut in support of the protest, and over 7,000 have gone on a hunger strike, many of whom have seen their health seriously deteriorate and have been hospitalised.

The decision to sew their mouths shut has come in response to the government’s decision to start force feeding inmates on hunger strike.

Over the last few years there have been many protests in the country’s jails, yet the authorities blame the bosses of organised crime who are allegedly putting pressure on inmates to rebel in order to increase their own privileges.

However, a spokesman for the prisoners insists that the protests are about inhumane conditions, massive overcrowding, and repeated beatings and mistreatment by prison staff.

The chief of the country’s prison service, Sheishenbek Baizakov, has stated that he would not meet any of the prisoner’s demands, and went on to say, “Let them sew their mouths shut”.