Central Sulawesi Corrections Office Confirms Prisons Remain Secure After 6.7 Magnitude Earthquake

The Regional Office of the Directorate General of Corrections (Ditjenpas) for Central Sulawesi has confirmed that all correctional facilities (lapas) and detention centres (rutan) in the area remain safe and conducive following a 6.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Palu on Tuesday (16/6).

Head of the Central Sulawesi Ditjenpas Regional Office, Herman Mulawarman, stated in Palu on Wednesday that his team moved quickly to directly inspect the conditions of the Class IIA Palu Prison and Class IIA Palu Detention Centre to ensure the safety of inmates and officers, as well as to assess the impact on correctional infrastructure.

“We have ensured that all inmates and officers are in safe condition,” he said.

At the Class IIA Palu Prison, accompanied by Head of Palu Prison Makmur, he monitored the condition of inmates and officers and reviewed several buildings affected by the earthquake. He revealed that some wall sections and buildings were identified as having cracks due to the tremors.

“Several minor damages in the form of cracks in buildings have been identified and will be addressed immediately. We will report this condition to the central leadership and coordinate with the Central Sulawesi Regional Public Works Office for further repair measures,” he stated.

On that occasion, he also directed the Palu Prison staff to continuously enhance preparedness and strengthen mitigation measures to face potential aftershocks.

He continued monitoring at the Class IIA Palu Detention Centre and engaged in dialogue with inmates to ensure their psychological condition following the earthquake. During the dialogue, he listened to various inputs while providing reassurance so that inmates remain calm and follow officers’ instructions.

“We want to ensure not only that the buildings are safe, but also that the inmates feel calm and protected. The situation is currently under control and all rehabilitation activities continue with tightened supervision,” he said.

He instructed all heads of correctional technical implementation units across Central Sulawesi to submit periodic reports on the latest conditions following the earthquake.

Based on reports as of Wednesday (17/6), all prisons, detention centres, juvenile correctional facilities (LPKA), women’s correctional facilities (LPP), and correctional centres (bapas) in Central Sulawesi are in safe and conducive condition. He noted that there were no reports of casualties or security disturbances affecting inmates and officers.

Nevertheless, his office directed all work units to strengthen coordination with law enforcement agencies, local governments, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and other relevant agencies to maintain security stability and expedite handling if necessary.

“We continue to conduct intensive monitoring. All units are asked to remain alert, strengthen cross-sector coordination, and ensure the safety of inmates and officers is maintained. To date, the correctional situation in Central Sulawesi remains safe, orderly, and conducive,” said Herman.

He stated that these measures are part of mitigation and risk management efforts to ensure correctional services continue to run optimally in the post-disaster situation.