On 1 August 1993 a group of prisoners were caught trying to escape from Garcia Moreno prison in Quito. They were reportedly seriously beaten by the prison guards and police, and have since been held incommunicado. Witnesses have stated that following the beating they saw some of these prisoners, including Saul Vega, being dragged to the jail’s medical clinic. According to reports, relatives, human rights workers and a member of parliament have tried to see them on several occasions, but have been denied access by the prison authorities. The prisoners have not been seen since their reported beating. Ecuadorean law does not allow for more than 48 hours of incommunicado detention and there is serious concern for their safety.
