April 30, 2017 Former guard reveals what life is like at a North Korean prison camp News Asia North Korea Lim Hye-jin described watching interned political dissenters set on fire, beheaded and shot dead en masse in collective punishment following escape attempts. Thousands of inmates in North Korean prison camps face beatings, summary executions, starvation and rape, a former guard has revealed.
April 26, 2017 Nepal: new prison houses to be built in 17 districts News Asia Facilities Nepal The Department of Prison Management would replace old and earthquake-damaged prisons in 17 districts with the new ones. The construction will be undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction.
April 26, 2017 Myanmar: prisoners to be allowed to join in religious activities News Asia Religion Myanmar (Burma) The Prisons Department will allow inmates to carry out religious activities once a month starting from the new fiscal year, said the department’s deputy director from Security Section.
April 26, 2017 Philippines: no resurrection of death penalty at the Senate News Asia Philippines The bill seeking to revive the death penalty is already “dead in the Senate.”
April 25, 2017 India: 404 prisoners in Odisha pass the test News Asia India 194 cleared NIOS exams, 187 completed IGNOU courses, says jail official
April 25, 2017 Bangladesh: life imprisonment means jail for rest of life News Asia Bangladesh The Supreme Court has published the full verdict commuting death sentences of two convicts to life imprisonment, making it clear that they will be imprisoned for the rest of their lives.
April 22, 2017 Nepal: 7 injured in Dailekh prison clash News Asia Protest Nepal At least seven inmates were injured in a clash that broke out between two groups at the District Prison in Dailekh on Saturday morning.
April 18, 2017 UNODC to send drug policy advisor to work with Philippine gov't News Asia Drugs Philippines The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, or UNODC, announced on Monday (17/04) that it will soon post a dedicated drug policy adviser to work with the Philippine government to enact alternative approaches in combating rising narcotics use in the country.
April 13, 2017 Singapore to roll out 'prisons without guards' concept to beat manpower crunch News Asia Singapore Prisons service says it will use technology to free officers from guard duties.
April 12, 2017 Russia: more than 100 gay men 'sent to prison camps' in Chechnya News Asia Europe Russia Abuses allegedly included mean being taken outside and beaten several times a day, having their hands electrocuted and being forced to sit on bottles
April 11, 2017 Pakistan: 'Depoliticisation of police is a must for effective criminal justice system' News Asia Pakistan Depoliticisation of the police is a must for effective working of the criminal justice system in Pakistan.
April 11, 2017 Indonesia: prison population jumped by 12,000 in two months News Asia Overcrowding Indonesia The number of prisoners being held in Indonesia increased by 12,000 within two months this year, raising concerns about unresolved prison overcrowding problems.
April 11, 2017 Indonesia: House to deliberate alternative forms of punishment in Criminal Code News Asia Justice Indonesia The House of Representatives’ working committee for the amendment of the Criminal Code (KUHP) is looking into alternative forms of punishment in addition to imprisonment.
April 7, 2017 Philippines edges closer to death penalty return for serious drug offences News Asia Drugs Philippines Philippine lower house lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the re-imposition of capital punishment for serious drug offences on Tuesday, clearing another hurdle in President Rodrigo Duterte’s drive to use death as a deterrent against crime.
April 3, 2017 Thailand: yoga knows no prison News Asia Thailand Women inmates find a different form of release while waiting for the gates to open Dozens of female prisoners slowly stretch their limbs during a relaxing yoga class at Bangkok’s Klong Prem Central Prison. “I feel calm listening to the instructor’s voice, and as my muscles unwind, my heart lifts,”…
March 31, 2017 India: inmates in Bagalkot prison go on hunger strike, demand better quality food News Asia Protest India The prisoners complained of bad food quality.
March 21, 2017 Inde : comment sortir d’une prison quand on est innocent ? News Asia India This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.
March 13, 2017 91% des détenus, privés "illégalement" de liberté à la prison centrale en Haïti, déplore l’expert indépendant de l’ONU Gustavo Gallón News Central America and the Caribbean Asia Haiti This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.
March 13, 2017 Singapore: grab bars, handrails in some cells as number of elderly prisoners rises News Asia Singapore The number of elderly prisoners has almost doubled in the past five years, and the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) has retrofitted some prison cells with senior-friendly features like grab bars and handrails.
March 12, 2017 Dans les prisons thaïlandaises, "les femmes sont battues à coups de canne" News Women Asia Thailand This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.
March 10, 2017 Taiwan: ministry mulls correctional facility reform News Asia Taiwan The Ministry of Justice yesterday said that it was considering changes to prison policies, especially those regarding inmates’ families, to better rehabilitate prisoners and facilitate their reintegration into society after their release or parole.
March 10, 2017 Russia’s prison population hits all-time low News Asia Europe Russia The number of people in Russian penitentiary facilities has gone down to the lowest level since collapse of the USSR, the Federal Penitentiary Service (FSIN) told TASS on the eve of the Penitentiary Day, marked on March 12. Back in 1879, Emperor Alexander II established the prison department.
March 6, 2017 Press conference held in Kazakhstan on prison reform: expectations and reality News Asia Kazakhstan On 23 February 2017, Penal Reform International Central Asia, convened a press conference on ‘Prison reform in Kazakhstan: expectations and reality’. It coincided with the 10th anniversary of the UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture, the UN detention monitoring body.
March 5, 2017 Myanmar: despite calls for reform, prisoners continue hard labour in shackles News Asia Myanmar (Burma) Months after a report on abuses and corruption in prison labour camps prompted calls for reforms and investigations, little has changed.
