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Johann Harry has opened up about his experience behind bars during Trinidad and Tobago’s State of Emergency, saying he counted 106 days from the time he was initially detained until his eventual release. Harry said one of the hardest parts at the beginning was not knowing what he was facing or how long he would remain in custody. He recalled eventually seeing that he was facing a 90-day detention period and said knowing the timeframe gave him some relief after previously feeling as though he was in limbo. “At least now I know what I’m facing,” Harry recalled thinking. According to Harry, he was initially held at the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Centre before later being transferred to Golden Grove. He said he was eventually among the first three people released from Golden Grove. Harry said he is not yet prepared to tell the public everything that happened during his detention. He explained that he intends to wait until other detainees he described as his “brothers” are released before sharing some of the deeper stories from inside. “I can’t tell all of you about the journey until they free the rest of my brothers,” Harry said. However, he shared several experiences from his time behind bars, including his interactions with other detainees. Harry recalled initially being placed in Cell 5, opposite Cell 21, where a man known to him as “Tyson” was being held. He said he had previously heard negative things about Tyson but had a different experience after meeting him personally. According to Harry, Tyson advocated for him to receive a mattress because of his health, arguing that Harry should not have to sleep on the iron bunks. Harry said the two subsequently had several good conversations. His experience with Tyson was one of several encounters Harry said challenged some of the perceptions he had formed about people before entering detention. Harry said he met several people regarded as community leaders and interacted with individuals from different backgrounds and groups. He stressed that he entered detention without any gang or organisational affiliation. “I was the one man inside of there who had no affiliations,” he said. Harry believes being unaffiliated allowed him to interact with people across different groups without being viewed as belonging to any particular side. He also spoke positively about several inmates he encountered, saying people organised fruit for him and treated him well. “The inmates, all the people that they call criminals… all of them treat me good,” Harry said while recounting the experience. While Harry spoke positively about several people he encountered, his description of aspects of his detention was considerably harsher. He alleged that his rights were violated and that he was mistreated while in custody. Those allegations represent Harry’s account of his detention and have not been independently verified. Harry also described difficult living conditions, including sleeping arrangements and poor food, while recalling having to adapt to the realities of incarceration. Despite describing the experience as one of the hardest periods of his life, Harry said he does not regret going through it. Asked whether he had regrets, Harry said regretting the experience would mean regretting something that contributed to his personal growth. He said he decided early on that whatever conditions he encountered, he would endure them. Harry also stressed that he did not expect special privileges or treatment while incarcerated, saying he accepted that he would have to live under the same conditions as other detainees. Faith was another recurring theme throughout his account. Harry repeatedly described himself as a “son of God” and indicated that his faith helped him navigate his time behind bars. For now, Harry says much of what happened during his 106 days in detention will remain untold. He indicated that once the remaining detainees he considers his brothers are released, he intends to reveal more about what he experienced and witnessed behind bars.
