Zahid Mubarek Memorial Unveiled

A memorial plaque commemorating Zahid Mubarek, who was murdered in Feltham Young Offenders Institution, has been placed in the Theatre Royal, Stratford East. The unveiling of the plaque was followed by the first Zahid Mubarek Memorial Lecture, delivered by Sir David Ramsbotham, former Chief Inspector of Prisons. I was privileged to be asked to take part in the unveiling of  the plaque, and to speak at the event. The main points I made were these:

Zahid’s death should never have happened. I paid tribute to his family, who have been both determined and dignified to an amazing extent. Determined because they have never deviated from the simple and just demand that the truth about what happened to Zahid and why should be exposed. Dignified in what they have always said what they were seeking was that no other family should have to suffer what they have suffered, and that a thorough and public inquiry into Zahid’s death should be the catalyst for fundamental changes in the prison system, and especially in Young Offender Institutions.

Zahid's murder which was so obviously preventable. He should never have been put in a cell with a deeply disturbed young man, who had openly expressed violently racist opinions. It is sad that the family had to fight for so long to obtain a public inquiry; and regrettable that the Home Office and Ministers were not prepared to agree to what was clearly wanted

I hope that the report of the public inquiry, due to be published soon, will go far beyond an explanation of how the system failed Zahid so badly, and will lead to real and lasting reform in the prison system, and especially for young offenders. 

Many prisons are overcrowded, and under-equipped for any real education and support. This can lead to degrading conditions, to an atmosphere where violence is endemic, where bullying and domination of the weaker becomes the norm. It creates conditions where suicides and serious mental problems are engendered not prevented. It means that the idea of preventing re-offending becomes a distant target rather than a principal objective of the prison service.

We need politicians to argue for humane conditions, to stop being afraid of the tabloids, to be clear that prisoners have human rights which demand respect. This is critical, because we cannot expect those charged with running the prison and criminal justice systems to be able to make the changes needed if they do not have political leadership and political support

Even so Zahid had managed to work his way through this experience and was being positive about his future and what he wanted to do. Our legacy to Zahid has to be to take up the cause and, to see his family have all the answers they should have about how his life came to be wasted, and at least have the knowledge that his death was not entirely in vain, in that it lead to the reforms needed so that no other family has to go through what they have had to go through. 

May 2006

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