Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

October 7, 2021

Global Prison Trends 2021

Report

Africa Coronavirus Women Asia Europe Minors Middle East Oceania Health Material conditions Overcrowding Death penalty

More than eleven million people are imprisoned around the world. Of this number, 70% are awaiting trial, a percentage that has been continuously increasing since 2000.

September 28, 2021

Iran: Two inmates found dead in Iranian prison south of Tehran

News

Middle East Iran

Iranian prison authorities confirmed the deaths of two inmates within a week at a jail south of the capital and opened investigations into the circumstances.

September 27, 2021

Global prison crisis

Interview

Africa Coronavirus Crises Asia Europe Middle East Oceania Overcrowding

The world prison population is still increasing. How does the COVID-19 crisis differ from other ongoing or future crises? Are prison environments doomed to be in perpetual crisis?

September 14, 2021

Israël : fin de cavale pour quatre des six Palestiniens évadés d'une prison israélienne

News

Middle East Israel

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

September 6, 2021

Syria: young man from eastern Ghouta dies in regime prison, after three years of detention

News

Middle East Material conditions Torture Violence Syria

Sources have reported that a young man from Arbin city in eastern Ghouta in Rif Dimashq died under torture in Sednaya military prison, known as the “Slaughterhouse”, after he was detained for nearly three years.

August 6, 2021

Iraq: torture widespread in detention centers

News

Pre-trial detention Middle East Access to legal rights Health Torture Violence Iraq

The United Nations accused the government of Iraq of the widespread torture of detainees held in the country’s detention centers. A U.N. report covers conditions in the centers from July 1, 2019 to April 30, 2021.

August 5, 2021

Iran: Human Rights Watch calls for release of Iranian prisoners as COVID-19 crisis worsens

News

Coronavirus Middle East Health Overcrowding Iran

Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned on Tuesday of the dangerous situation faced by prisoners in Iran as the COVID-19 crisis deepens in the country, calling on authorities in the Islamic Republic to “unconditionally” release prisoners detained for peaceful dissent. “Iran’s prison authorities should unco…

August 5, 2021

Syria: US imposes sanctions on Syrian prisons

News

Middle East Torture Violence Syria

The US Treasury Department said on Wednesday it had imposed sanctions on eight Syrian prisons run by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s intelligence apparatus and five senior officials who control the sites, where human rights abuses have taken place.

July 21, 2021

Saudi Arabia: new details of alleged torture leaked

News

Women Middle East Torture Saudi Arabia

Prison guards describe harrowing scenes concerning political detainees

July 1, 2021

Syrie : les prisonniers du régime, un business juteux pour les escrocs, face à des familles désespérées

News

Middle East Health Death penalty Torture Violence Syria

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

June 29, 2021

Saudi Arabia: two women’s rights activists released from prison

News

Women Middle East Violence Saudi Arabia

Two Saudi women’s rights campaigners have been released from prison, three years after a sweeping crackdown by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman targeting female activists who’d peacefully advocated for greater freedoms, rights groups said Sunday.

June 9, 2021

Yemen: detainees tortured and arbitrarily detained for years then forced into exile upon release

News

Pre-trial detention Middle East Foreign prisoners Access to legal rights Torture Violence Yemen

The Huthi de facto authorities in Yemen must not use arbitrarily detained prisoners as pawns in ongoing political negotiations, a new report by Amnesty International said today.

June 9, 2021

Qatar: Kenyan labour rights activist in solitary confinement

News

Pre-trial detention Middle East Torture Qatar

More than three weeks after Mr. Bidali was forcibly disappeared by state security services, authorities are still refusing to reveal his whereabouts or explain why he has been detained.

May 18, 2021

Egypt: family of detainee who alleged torture and sexual abuse in prison arrested

News

Middle East Torture Violence Egypt

Parents and sibling of Abdelrahman al-Shweikh were arrested after family shared information about treatment of the political prisoner

April 29, 2021

Bahrain: tensions rise in Bahrain prison as inmates' families protest conditions

News

Coronavirus Middle East Health Protest Violence Bahrain

Tensions had been rising in the country’s main Jau prison since an outbreak of COVID-19 last month

April 28, 2021

Irán impone otro año de cárcel a Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, la iranobritánica que liberó el pasado marzo

News

Middle East Foreign prisoners Justice Material conditions Iran

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

April 28, 2021

Egypt: nine people put to death in chilling Ramadan executions

News

Africa Middle East Death penalty Egypt

By carrying out these executions during the holy month of Ramadan the Egyptian authorities have displayed a ruthless determination to persist with their escalating use of the death penalty.

April 28, 2021

Saudi Arabia: fears for health of imprisoned human rights defender held incommunicado

News

Coronavirus Middle East Health Overcrowding Social ties Saudi Arabia

Fears are growing for the health and wellbeing of imprisoned human rights defender Mohammed al-Qahtani, who has been held incommunicado after testing positive for Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia’s Al Ha’ir prison, said Amnesty International.

March 31, 2021

Egypte : 16 personnes, dont au moins trois femmes, exécutés pour des faits de droit commun

News

Middle East Death penalty Violence Egypt

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

March 30, 2021

Líbano: torturas a personas refugiadas sirias detenidas arbitrariamente por cargos antiterroristas

News

Middle East Material conditions Torture Violence Lebanon

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

March 26, 2021

Saudi Arabia: human rights activist Mohammed al-Rabiah brutally tortured and at risk of lengthy prison sentence

News

Middle East Long-term prisoners Torture Violence Saudi Arabia

ALQST has learned that human rights activist Mohammed al-Rabiah was subjected to brutal torture in detention, including beatings, electric shocks, and being hung upside down. He currently faces trial before the Specialised Criminal Court (SCC), where the Public Prosecution is calling for a 25-year…

March 17, 2021

Dubai: temor por la seguridad de Sheikha Latifa tras los mensajes que revelan su situación de “rehén”

News

Women Middle East Torture Violence United Arab Emirates

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

March 17, 2021

Arabia Saudí: la sentencia que confirma la declaración de culpabilidad de Loujain al Hathloul, una terrible injusticia

News

Women Middle East Access to legal rights Justice Saudi Arabia

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

March 1, 2021

Syria: the greater jail, the politics of prison

News

Culture Middle East Facilities Syria

In a talk co-organized by the assassinated activist Lokman Slim, former Syrian political prisoner Yassin al-Haj Saleh argues that “the politics of prison” are central to understanding the “politicide” of the Syrian people at the Assad regime’s hands.