December 2023
Middle East
Justice
Material conditions
Overcrowding
Israel
The Knesset National Security Committee voted unanimously to extend Israel’s “incarceration emergency” until mid-January, allowing the country’s correctional system to continue housing prisoners in what would otherwise be considered illegally cramped conditions.
Asia
Mental health
Suicide
Overcrowding
Religion
India
By December 2022, India’s prisons were filled to 131% of capacity, up one percentage point from 2021. This is despite a campaign in July last year to identify undertrial prisoners eligible for release, and the country adding 11 prisons since 2021.
Lebanon: from bad to worse
Interview
Crises
Pre-trial detention
Women
Middle East
Foreign prisoners
Health
Mental health
Material conditions
Lebanon
Prisoners are suffering the consequences of the socio-economic crisis: access to medical care, food and water is no longer guaranteed. The proportion of people in remand detention far exceeds the global average and contributes to prison overcrowding. Interview.
North America
Justice
Health
United States
Antonio Arnez Smith was granted medical furlough in September but was not released to his family until October. He died four days later.
Women
Middle East
Material conditions
Violence
Israel
Palestinian women released from Israeli jails over the weekend warned of “brutal” conditions in jails since 7 October.
Asia
Minors
Material conditions
Overcrowding
India
Despite several directions from the Supreme Court on the subhuman conditions in prisons across the country, jails continue to remain in a miserable condition. The latest figures show that Delhi and Uttarakhand have the worst situation, with almost twice the capacity of inmates in cells.
Middle East
Material conditions
Social ties
Turkey
“Due to economic reasons and the exorbitant prices set by PTT, I am sending this letter through regular mail. I hope it reaches you intact and without censorship. Sending guaranteed letters such as registered or APS has become economically challenging,” says a prisoner.
Europe
Material conditions
Facilities
Malta
Compared to the Corradino Correctional Facility of 15 years ago, Prisoner Welfare Commissioner Steve Libreri said that there has been a “considerable” improvement in supportive services, the prison environment, as well as a change in the culture of correctional officers, leading to a prison facilit…
Antigua and Barbuda: prospects dwindle for new prison facility as retrofitting remains priority
News
Central America and the Caribbean
Material conditions
Antigua & Barbuda
National Security Minister Sir Steadroy Benjamin revealed that the government currently lacks the necessary funds to undertake the construction of a new prison facility.The ongoing retrofitting efforts aim to address concerns related to overcrowding and outdated infrastructure that have adversely i…