Three young men charged with hijacking a vessel are being allowed just one hour outside their cell at the high-security division of the adults’ prison in Corradino, the Times of Malta has learned.
Lawyer Neil Falzon confirmed his clients – aged 15, 16 and 19 – were being held in the high-security division of the prison. Keeping the two minors in an adults’ prison would be in breach of magistrate’s orders to give them full State care, he argued.
The three teens have pleaded not guilty to charges of seizing a vessel through the use or threat of force and intimidation. The “seized vessel” made its way to Malta last week with some 100 people aboard after the captain of the El Hiblu 1 told authorities he was not in control of the vessel.
Read: Three teens charged with terrorist activity in ship hijacking case
If found guilty, the three teens face between seven and 30 years behind bars.
“We demand to know who took this decision and on what criteria. We remind the authorities that our clients are young men who are to be presumed innocent until proven otherwise,” Dr Mifsud said.
“We fear the damage already done to their well-being but hope justice will prevail,” he said.
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