Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

January 17, 2025

Syria: prison walls reveal last messages of Assad's imprisoned people

News

Crises Middle East Death penalty Torture Religion Syria

Inside Syria’s infamous prisons once controlled by Bashar al-Assad, haunting graffiti etched by tormented imprisoned people bears witness to their anguish, defiance, and love.

December 21, 2024

Malta: prison bakery dishes out the Christmas goodies

News

Europe Social ties Religion Work Malta

Incarcerated people and correctional facility officers have been baking several Christmas treats for sale outside the Corradino Correctional Facility in Paola.

December 15, 2023

India: despite campaign, the country saw number of prisoners increase in 2022

News

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.

May 24, 2022

France: the holy month in prison

Testimonial

Europe Religion France

What is Ramadan like behind bars? Mohamed-Iqbal Zaidouni, the regional Muslim Chaplain at Rennes prison tells us all about it.

May 18, 2022

France: in search of meaning

Testimonial

Women Europe Activities Social ties Religion France

Sakina is a Muslim chaplain in prison. She guides female prisoners in their religious practice. Ramadan, daily organiszation, work on self-esteem… She tells us all about it

May 10, 2022

Algeria: a month (almost) like any other

Testimonial

Africa Material conditions Torture Religion Algeria

Rachid M. was imprisoned in El-Harrach and then Tizi Ouzou between 1996 and 1999. He tells us about conditions in prison, visits and Ramadan.

March 24, 2022

Sunny Jacobs: Life Beyond

Testimonial

North America Mental health Death penalty Religion United States

How can you escape prison with your mind? Sunny Jacobs was sentenced to death and spent seventeen years in detention for a crime she did not commit. She tells Prison Insider how yoga, meditation and prayer helped her find freedom behind prison walls.

May 27, 2021

España: La única cárcel para curas del mundo estaba en Zamora: celdas de 5m², torturas y el método del gusano

News

Europe Material conditions Torture Religion Spain

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

May 27, 2021

España: cuatro de las 12 operaciones contra el yihadismo en 2021 en España tuvieron lugar en cárceles

News

Europe Protest Violence Religion Spain

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish

February 15, 2021

India: after 70 years, Rajasthan amends prison manual that sanctioned caste-based labour

News

Culture Asia Access to legal rights Justice Activities Religion India

The move comes nearly two months after The Wire’s report had exposed conditions of institutionalised casteism in prisons of Rajasthan and several other states in India.

February 12, 2021

Iran : huit prisonniers baloutches et arabes ahwazis sont en danger, dans un contexte de hausse inquiétante des exécutions

News

Middle East Death penalty Torture Violence Religion Iran

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

February 12, 2021

Salvador: inside a prison cell for gay former gang members

News

Culture Central America and the Caribbean LGBTQI Drugs Violence Religion El Salvador

“It was completely unheard of“. “Because in the gangs, if there’s even the suspicion that you’re gay, you pay for it with your life.”

December 22, 2020

India: from segregation to labour, Manu’s caste law governs the prison system

News

Culture Women Asia Access to legal rights Justice Religion Work India

In several states, prison manuals still dictate that labour within the prison should be assigned on the basis of caste.

November 20, 2020

Religion and prison: higher things

Interview

Europe Access to legal rights Mental health Social ties Religion France

Managing prisons (Latin America); providing spiritual care for inmates (Europe); practical support (Africa) – the role of prison chaplains varies from country to country.

November 20, 2020

France : "ils sont surveillés de près"

News

Europe Justice Violence Rehabilitation Religion France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

November 17, 2020

France: aumônerie musulmane en prison, décryptage d’un phénomène en croissance

News

Europe Access to legal rights Mental health Social ties Religion France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

November 12, 2020

France: dans les prisons, le défi de la prise en charge des détenus radicalisés

News

Europe Justice Rehabilitation Religion France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

September 17, 2020

France : suicides en prison

News

Europe Mental health Suicide Social ties Religion France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

July 15, 2020

Pakistan: dragged to Hell

Asia Death penalty Violence Religion Pakistan

Ashraf had his death sentence converted to life imprisonment. He was held during 18 years, and his spiritual life made him hold on to life while incarcerated. This is his story.

June 10, 2020

Canada: spiritual needs of vulnerable federal inmates unmet during pandemic: chaplains

News

Coronavirus North America Religion Canada

OTTAWA – Federal prison chaplains say the spiritual needs of inmates have become an unnecessary casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when offenders are feeling particularly vulnerable and alone. The Correctional Service of Canada is allowing only emergency in-person visits from chaplains to…

May 4, 2020

UK: observing Ramadan in a UK prison

News

Europe Religion United Kingdom

Ex-prisoners remember difficulties when fasting as study highlights dangers of system that views Muslims with suspicion.

March 9, 2020

UK: 'our prison deradicalisation programmes aren't working'

News

Europe Discipline Justice Religion United Kingdom

The British prison system currently deals with high-security terrorism convicts by sending them to dispersal prisons. These prisoners are distributed around six maximum security dispersal jails and are regularly moved from one to another. This is done to prevent them from establishing close relatio…

February 26, 2020

France: Lille, une prison dans la prison pour les détenus radicalisés

News

Europe Discipline Religion France

This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: French

January 3, 2020

Lebanon: indirect processes of radicalization at Lebanon’s Roumieh

News

Middle East Violence Religion Lebanon

Incarceration centers across the MENA region are known for their lawlessness and tendency to act as incubators for the reinforcement and hardening of ideologies and violent behaviors. Roumieh Prison in Lebanon is no exception.