Renowned dancehall artist Vybz Kartel has taken legal action against the Jamaican government, challenging his ongoing solitary confinement at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Facility.
Filed by his attorney, Isat Buchanan, in the Supreme Court of Kingston, the application seeks court orders to acknowledge the violation of Kartel’s constitutional rights.
Since May 23, the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has subjected the Gaza deejay to a 23-hour lockdown in solitary confinement. This prolonged isolation has severely affected his health, particularly considering his battle with two autoimmune illnesses and heart problems.
The application implores the court to intervene and declare that the DCS infringed upon Kartel’s right to due process by placing him in solitary confinement without a proper hearing. The case explicitly targets the Minister of National Security and the Attorney General, who have yet to publicly address the claims raised by the entertainer’s legal counsel or the actions initiated.
Additionally, the suit seeks a declaratory judgment prohibiting the DCS from subjecting Kartel to solitary confinement due to his deteriorating health. Kartel’s attorney emphasizes that he remains under state custody, with his case currently in the appeal stage, further highlighting the potential violation of his constitutional rights.
Should the lawsuit prove successful, it also requests the court to grant damages and costs to the artiste as a remedy for the unjust circumstances he has endured. A hearing date has been scheduled for the week of June 12 to address these crucial legal concerns.
