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October 10, 2023

Iran: executions surged by nearly a quarter over past year

News

Middle East Death penalty Iran

At least 659 convicts were executed in Iran over the past year, an increase of 24 percent compared to the previous 12 months, according to an Iranian human rights group.

October 10, 2023

Europe: EU and Council of Europe reaffirm their opposition to capital punishment

News

Europe Death penalty

The European Union and the Council of Europe strongly reaffirm their unequivocal opposition to the death penalty “in all cases and in all circumstances”, including any reintroduction of it, on the European and World Day against the Death Penalty, celebrated on 10 October.

October 9, 2023

United Kingdom: prison fails on inmate living conditions

News

Europe Material conditions Work United Kingdom

Dartmoor Prison is failing to provide adequate living conditions, education and work opportunities for its inmates, says an inspectors’ report.

October 8, 2023

Israel: why are so many Palestinian prisoners in jails?

News

Middle East Material conditions Overcrowding Israel

One in every five Palestinians has been arrested and charged under the 1,600 military orders that control every aspect of the lives of Palestinians living under the Israeli military occupation. That incarceration rate doubles for Palestinian men — two in every five have been arrested.

October 6, 2023

United States: WA prison deters participation in restorative justice by ordering strip searches

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North America Justice United States

Strip searches, a practice that dates back to auctions of enslaved people, have long been common in U.S. prisons.

October 6, 2023

United Kingdom: over 100,000 children have parent in prison

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Europe Social ties United Kingdom

Record comes as Estonia confirms it is in talks with UK over plans to accept British prisoners amid overcrowding crisis

September 29, 2023

Syria: desperately searching for missing prisoners

News

Middle East Justice Syria

Thousands of people have “vanished” inside Syria’s prison system over more than a decade of civil conflict. Their families are left in a desperate situation, forced to pay out large sums of money to middlemen, government and security officials for any information about their loved ones - often with…

September 29, 2023

United Kingdom: prisoners sleeping on matresses "wedged next to lavatories" due to overcrowding

News

Europe Material conditions Overcrowding United Kingdom

Inspector criticises “degrading” conditions in prisons in correspondence to Government

September 29, 2023

United States: trans women misgendered in Flagstaff arrest, held in men's jail

News

North America LGBTQI United States

The arrest of a transgender woman last month in Flagstaff sparked protests in the community and outrage at the handling of trans cases in the criminal justice system — both during her arrest and her time in the men’s side of the jail.

September 29, 2023

United States: activists call attention to in-custody deaths, jail conditions

News

North America Pre-trial detention Health Material conditions United States

September 29, 2023

United States: 33 people have died in LA county jails this year

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North America Health Material conditions United States

17 people have died in Los Angeles County jails since June 1. Their deaths bring the total number of people who have died while in the custody of the nation’s largest jail system this year to 35—averaging just shy of one death every week.

September 29, 2023

Malaysia: anti-death penalty Asia Network wants centralisation of death sentence reviews

News

Asia Death penalty Malaysia

September 29, 2023

Israel: how “civil war” between Ben Gvir and Prison Service is hurting Palestinian detainees

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Middle East Justice Material conditions Israel

Tensions between Palestinian inmates and Israeli authorities have been brewing for months. Since the beginning of the year, Palestinian prisoners have declared hunger strikes five times, only to be called off on the first day after reaching a deal.

September 29, 2023

India: denied basic facilities, women prisoners impacted far worse than men

News

Women Asia Material conditions India

On August 29, the Supreme Court sought the views of the Centre and the states on the Justice Amitava Roy Committee report submitted on December 27, 2022, underlining that the correctional justice system is “evidently gender exclusionary”.

September 29, 2023

El Salvador: incarceration rate triples that of US

News

Central America and the Caribbean Justice Overcrowding El Salvador

El Salvador has imprisoned 1.6% of its 6.3 million citizens. That gives it an incarceration rate triple that of the US and more than double that of Cuba.

September 29, 2023

Colombia: “I spent nine years in a women’s prison. This is what I learned.”

News

South America Women Material conditions Colombia

“The system is failing women, with often devastating impacts on our families, mental or reproductive health. But those who have been inside can change it for the better – if we are allowed.”

September 29, 2023

Buthan: ex-political prisoner reveals harsh jail conditions

News

Asia Material conditions Bhutan

A released political prisoner from Bhutan has described severely declining conditions for the country’s unjustly held political prisoners, Human Rights Watch said today.

September 27, 2023

Zimbabwe: can first ‘Open Prison’ for women open doors to a new life?

News

Africa Women Facilities Rehabilitation Zimbabwe

The Zimbabwean government in 2021 opened Marondera, its first open prison for women, giving a chance for qualified prisoners to spend time with their families while serving their sentences.

September 18, 2023

United Kingdom: staff shortages an issue amid ‘deeply worrying’ prison deaths in England

News

Europe Mental health Suicide United Kingdom

Inquests flag up gaps in the care of prisoners in relation to at least nine deaths in custody since 2021.

September 18, 2023

United Kingdom: indefinite sentences should be suicide risk factor, says prisons watchdog

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Europe Long-term prisoners Mental health Suicide United Kingdom

Nine self-inflicted deaths of prisoners serving IPP sentences in 2022 was highest number since controversial introduction.

September 18, 2023

United Kingdom: HMP Wakefield, calls for action over conditions at city’s high security jail

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Europe Material conditions United Kingdom

Urgent action has been demanded over conditions at Wakefield’s high-security jail

September 18, 2023

Philippines: CHR praises bill meant to make conditions in jails more humane

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Asia Material conditions Philippines

Commission on Human Rights (CHR) hails a bill that seeks to make conditions inside correctional facilities more humane.

September 18, 2023

USA: Louisiana ordered to remove teens from “intolerable” conditions at state prison

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North America Minors Material conditions United States

Children, some as young as 15, incarcerated at notorious Angola prison, which has reputation for brutality and violence.

September 18, 2023

Bangladesh: the court jails prominent rights activists for two years

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Asia Justice Material conditions Bangladesh

Adilur Rahman Khan and Nasiruddin Elan of the Odhikar group documented extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and police brutality.