Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

May 28, 2019

Brazil: 55 inmates killed in spate of prison riots

News

South America Violence Brazil

Fifty-five inmates have died in gang-related riots at four prisons in western Brazil, according to authorities. Fifteen prisoners were found dead Sunday and 40 more Monday in the city of Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas, the region’s Governor Wilson Lima said.

May 26, 2019

Tajikistan: activist gives rare glimpse of Tajik prison where deadly violence occurred

News

Violence Tajikistan

Azamat Shambilov is one of few outsiders to have visited Tajikistan’s Kirpichniy prison before it became the scene of a deadly riot this week.

May 13, 2019

France: vétusté et violences, la visite surprise d'Esther Benbassa à la prison pour mineurs de Porcheville

News

Europe Violence France

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

May 13, 2019

France: une étude scientifique remet en cause l’intérêt de la prison dans la prévention des violences

News

Europe Violence France

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

May 9, 2019

Death penalty: global trends

Analysis Report

Africa North America Asia Death penalty Violence

Reduction of 30% in the number of executions, decrease in the number of countries having recourse to the executions: human rights organisation Amnesty international publishes its 2018 report on recourse to the death penalty.

May 7, 2019

France: dans une prison de la banlieue de Lille, un nouveau quartier réservé aux détenus violents

News

Europe Facilities Violence France

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

April 16, 2019

Equatorial Guinea: Teodoro Obiang lance le processus pour abolir la peine de mort

News

Africa Death penalty Violence Guinea

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

April 10, 2019

Death penalty 2018: dramatic fall in global executions

News

Death penalty Violence

Global executions fell by almost one-third last year to the lowest figure in at least a decade, Amnesty International said in its 2018 global review of the death penalty published today. The statistics assess known executions worldwide except in China, where figures thought to be in their thousands…

April 5, 2019

USA: America is finally being exposed to the devastating reality of prison violence

News

North America Violence United States

Recent reports show how overcrowding, understaffing, and limited resources are contributing to violence in prisons.

March 14, 2019

Mauritania: sentenced to death then pardoned

Testimonial

Africa Death penalty Violence Mauritania

Fatimata was sentenced to death. Pardoned in 2016, she tells her story.

March 6, 2019

France: Inmate Michaël Chiolo wounds guards at France's Condé-sur-Sarthe prison

News

Europe Violence France

A prison inmate in northern France has seriously wounded two guards in a knife attack, in what French ministers have described as a “terrorist incident”.

February 27, 2019

La peine de mort continue à reculer dans le monde

News

Death penalty Violence

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

February 26, 2019

France : surpopulation, violence, contrebande et troubles psychiatriques dans les prisons de La Réunion

News

Europe Mental health Overcrowding Violence France

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

February 23, 2019

Belgium: 447 décès en prison en 8 ans: des prisonniers à la santé précaire

News

Europe Health Violence Belgium

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

January 31, 2019

Togo: repressed political commitment

Report

Africa Justice Torture Violence Togo

Togo is experiencing a serious socio-political crisis. Mistreatment and arbitrary arrests are on the rise. Here is the current situation.

January 28, 2019

Brazil’s prison gangs are launching massive terrorism attacks. This explains why

News

South America Violence Brazil

Just one day after his inauguration, Brazil’s right-wing populist President Jair Bolsonaro faced his first public-security crisis. On Jan. 2, prison gangs launched a terrorism campaign throughout Ceara state, paralyzing the capital city, Fortaleza. Although he has deployed federal troops, violence…

January 21, 2019

Living conditions for those sentenced to death

Interview

Death penalty Violence

Worldwide, there are 20,000 people sentenced to death. They are detained in countries that still use the death penalty like China, Iran, the United States, Japan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Others are detained in countries that no longer use the death penalty, for instance Mauritania. These prison…

January 12, 2019

Uruguay : presos con celulares, comercios e industrias, un modelo para bajar la violencia en las cárceles

News

South America Violence Uruguay

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the Spanish version.

January 1, 2019

Porto Rico: se reportan dos muertes de reclusos en cárceles de Ponce y Bayamón

News

Violence Puerto Rico

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the Spanish version.

December 26, 2018

Thailand: Man electrocuted as he tries to escape from prison

News

Asia Violence Thailand

A Thai prisoner died early Tuesday after being electrocuted by high-voltage barbed wire as he attempted to escape, police said. Wiwat Aksorsom, 32, broke free from his cell just after midnight along with two other prisoners and tried to scale the six-metre (20-ft) walls of his prison in southern Su…

December 20, 2018

Australia: why are our prisons full of domestic violence victims?

News

Oceania Violence Australia

The number of women in prison is continuing to soar, new data shows. But advocates warn we can’t arrest the increase until we start properly addressing domestic abuse, which affects an overwhelming majority of women behind bars.

December 16, 2018

Iran: mort en prison d’un blogueur en grève de la faim

News

Middle East Violence Iran

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

December 11, 2018

Uruguay: las cárceles, una “anomalía estructural” y un “nuevo circuito violento” [audio]

News

South America Violence Uruguay

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the Spanish version.

December 9, 2018

United Kingdom: pepper spray used in non-violent situations in prison pilot

News

Europe Violence United Kingdom

Pava incapacitant spray to be rolled out to all jails despite criticism during evaluation.