Violation of Freedoms

A man so badly beaten by prison guards that he was permanently damaged at the age of 36 years old. His passport reads born in 1956, but he looks like it should say '36. Taken from his house one night twenty years ago, he was held in prison for two years with no charge. Only that he had helped raise money to buy food for his brother and other people he knew, who were being held as political prisoners. He is so scarred from the beatings, he never recovered, bed ridden for twenty years, not able to work, deterioration has set it.



A room 2 metres x 2 metres with six inmates was his residence for two years. Taken daily for beatings, he was given a piece of meat a few times a week – cut to 1inch in diametre. Shower time was five minutes once a week. Made to stand for 24 hours sometimes with no food, or often thrown old chicken bones. Torture and humilation wore him down eventually. He is home now and his family surround him.

Once he was a model of good citizenship. Working in the national oil and gas company, but was held hostage for the good he did in his community. He is sick, and no body cares. No apology was issued. His colleagues forgot about him all too quickly. He has had no visitors beyond his family since his release. Yet, he still believes that helping the needy was worth it. He would do it again if he had a choice. He wants to get healthy. That's all he wants. He is afterall only 50 years old.



The political environment is shifting, a reason this family invited a stranger into their house to tell his story. The spies are gone now, and although it remains both faceless and nameless for fear that the the horror may return. It lurks on the horizon, but not in the village streets anymore.