Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

July 19, 2022

Liberia: Senate votes to abolish death penalty

News

Africa Death penalty Liberia

The plenary of the Liberian Senate with a unanimous vote of 17, yesterday passed a portion of the penal code to abolish the death penalty and other capital offenses. The committee on Judiciary recommended passage of the bill for the Legislature to remove the provisions of the death penalty. In 2005…

July 19, 2022

Sénégal : le décès en détention de François Mancabou génère une vague d’indignation.

News

Africa Violence Senegal

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

July 13, 2022

Guinea: child victims of “punitive justice”

Interview

Africa Minors Access to legal rights Justice Guinea

Nordine Drici is a historian and legal expert on prisoners’ rights. He wrote an overview of the penitentiary situation in Guinea, examining access to justice in the country. This expert evaluation formed part of a training programme (under the RESPECT project) that he provided for Lawyers Without B…

July 12, 2022

Nigeria: cientos de yihadistas liberan a más de 800 presos en el asalto a una cárcel

News

Africa Violence Nigeria

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

July 11, 2022

Africa: the threat of punishment

Interview

Africa Justice Alternatives Rehabilitation

The prison and criminal justice systems established on the African continent during the colonisation raise many questions.The book « L’Afrique en prisons » proposes to distinguish and rethink a coercive system based on the threat of punishment. Interview.

June 3, 2022

Algeria: seeing things from the other side

Testimonial

Africa Access to legal rights Justice Torture Violence Rehabilitation Algeria

Rachid M. was imprisoned in Algeria from 1996 to 1999. After previously discussing the conditions in prison and what Ramadan is like there, he now talks about his release and his human rights activism.

May 31, 2022

Maroc : L'OMP organise une formation à l’attention des fonctionnaires des établissements pénitentiaires à Meknès

News

Africa Morocco

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

May 31, 2022

Guinée : Décès de prisonniers à Coyah, l'autopsie révèle qu'ils ne recevaient plus d'air

News

Africa Material conditions Guinea

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

May 31, 2022

Nigeria: "even hungry dogs’ll reject our meals"

News

Africa Material conditions Nigeria

When the increase was officially announced by the Nigerian Customs Service comptroller (NCS), most inmates in prisons across the country rejoiced, believing that their daily food ration would automatically increase. Seven months later, Encounter’s investigation revealed that inmates’ food rations r…

May 31, 2022

Guinée : À N'Zérékoré, le ministre de la justice s'indigne face aux mauvaises conditions de la prison

News

Africa Material conditions Guinea

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

May 31, 2022

Sénégal : Blocage des visites carcérales

News

Africa Social ties Senegal

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

May 19, 2022

South Sudan : Islamic Council, Somali community release 7 inmates from Juba Prison

News

Africa Justice South Sudan

The inmates are said to have been jailed for petty crimes including failure to pay debts and court fines. Their release was concluded during Eid-el Fitr celebrations.

May 19, 2022

Nigeria : Kano: Ganduje pardons 90 prisons inmates

News

Africa Justice Nigeria

The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has approved the freedom of ninety prison inmates across correctional centres in the state.

May 18, 2022

Burkina Faso : Un mort et au moins 60 prisonniers libérés dans l'attaque d'une prison

News

Africa Violence Burkina Faso

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

May 16, 2022

Sénégal : prison de camp pénal et de Kaolack, 15 détenus en grève de la faim

News

Africa Health Material conditions Senegal

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

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.

April 28, 2022

Togo resumes prison visits after two-year ban

News

Africa Coronavirus Social ties Togo

Togo is to allow prison visits to resume from Friday, phasing out a two-year-old ban that was imposed to help curb the spread of coronavirus.

April 28, 2022

Nigeria: Coverup in Nigerian Prison As TB Hits, Kills Several Inmates

News

Africa Health Nigeria

Senior officials, including those in charge of the facility in Katsina, have attempted a coverup to avoid accountability, sources told this newspaper.

April 21, 2022

Cameroun : l’épidémie de choléra dans les prisons inquiète l’opposition

News

Africa Health Material conditions Cameroon

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

April 4, 2022

Kenya: un "marais artificiel" purifie les eaux usées fétides d'une prison

News

Africa Material conditions Kenya

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

March 22, 2022

Niger : Les autorités doivent garantir les droits des détenus

News

Africa Material conditions Niger

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

March 9, 2022

Senegal: out of step, outlawed

Interview

Africa LGBTQI Justice Material conditions Violence Senegal

A new bill is looking to toughen punishment for homosexuality. There are serious concerns about detention conditions for LGBTI people. Interview.

March 9, 2022

Nigeria: the rocky road towards abolition

Interview

Africa Justice Death penalty Nigeria

While its neighbouring countries move towards the abolition of capital punishment, Nigeria is one of the last sub-Saharan African nations to still apply the death penalty.

February 9, 2022

Liberia: Where inmates are short of food, space and uniforms

News

Africa Material conditions Liberia

When the food ran out for inmates at Liberia’s main prison earlier this month it exposed the terrible conditions that have long existed in the country’s jails.