Uganda prisoners die of starvation

Reports from Uganda say fifty-seven inmates have died in a prison in the northwestern town of Arua in the past year.

A government-owned newspaper, The New Vision, said the deaths were a result of acute food shortages and lack of medical care at the prison.

The paper said the situation was further aggravated by corruption among the prison staff.

It warned that, after four deaths last week, the inmates were threatening to go on hunger strike if conditions in the jail were not improved.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service