Joran van der Sloot has been taken out of solitary confinement in the Peruvian prison Piedras Gordas. His lawyer José Jiménez has told the ANP:

“He is no longer in a mediation cell as they call it, but he now has more room and shares his cell with another detainee.”

He says Van der Sloot is still annoyed that he has been transferred from the Castro Castro prison in the Peruvian capital Lima to Piedras Gordas in the desert outside the city. The prison is notorious for its strict regime. Mr Jiménez says the authorities have not responded to a request to be transferred back.

The lawyer says the transfer was uncalled for, because Van der Sloot had not misbehaved and the image that his cell was luxurious was incorrect.

Van der Sloot’s lawyer says there is no news about his appeal, but a decision is expected within a few weeks. Van der Sloot was sentenced to 28 years in prison for the murder of Peruvian woman Stephany Flores in May 2010.

(nc)

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