[Lauchenoiria]

Kerlian News Service

International Edition

Restricted Region activities shut down pending review by Council
25th July 2019

The Council of Kerlile has ordered all activities inside the Restricted Region halted immediately, pending a full investigation and review of all actions taking place within the region, particularly focused on the welfare of prisoners held in the region. The suspension of activities within the Region also extends to military experiments which take place in a separate section of the region from detention facilities.

This review comes after a moratorium on new transfers to detention facilities within the Restricted Region was put in place by newly appointed President Rebecca Arnott. Several Councillors challenged her decision, however the Council as a whole upheld the moratorium, meaning that no new prisoners may be sent to the Restricted Region for the foreseeable future. Prisoners currently in the Region, however, are not expected to be transferred elsewhere at this time.

The Restricted Region, named because no individual may enter the region without explicit permission, contains a number of high-security detention facilities holding criminals serving life sentences, and is also the site of a number of military bases where classified projects are worked on. No prisoner serving less than a life sentence may be held in Restricted Region facilities, and any individual entering the Region without permission may be held indefinitely.

The prisons situated in the Restricted Region have come under criticism from members of the Church of the Goddess, who claim that individuals sent to the Region are subjected to ‘torture’ and mistreatment, in opposition to the teachings of the Goddess. According to religious texts, criminals will feel the pain of their victims after death – leading many religious Kerlians to consider the torture of prisoners ‘playing Goddess’.

President Arnott promised to shut down the Restricted Region if appointed President by the Council, as part of the five key pledges of the Reform Party of which she is leader. This promise was widely welcomed by those who support reform as well as the religious community, however came under criticism from several other Councillors who believe it will lead to an increase in crime. Before the moratorium, most individuals convicted of treason or terrorism were sent to the Restricted Region.

The investigation into the activities of the Restricted Region aims to examine the conditions in which prisoners are kept and consider any allegations of torture and mistreatment. The Council will also review military projects in the area. The investigation team will interview both prisoners and members of staff, and will present their findings and recommendations to the Council in a report. The investigation is expected to conclude in January 2020.