Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

February 15, 2023

Russia: prisoners of the battlefield

Interview

Crises Europe Violence Russia

The conflict in Ukraine also impacts the individuals incarcerated in Russia. Many of them have been recruited by the Wagner Group over the past few months to participate in the fighting. Dmitry Gurin from EPLN shared with us what they know about this recruitment campaign.

February 8, 2023

Poland: Prisoners beaten, suffocated and waterboarded

News

Europe Torture Violence Poland

Inmates at Barczewo prison have faced physical and mental torture, including beatings, suffocation and waterboarding, according to a new report.

February 3, 2023

France: "a change of tactics"

Interview

Crises Europe Justice Material conditions Facilities Overcrowding Alternatives France

In 2020, the French government was found to have violated the European Convention on Human Rights, due to demeaning detention conditions in French prisons. What is the state of affairs today? The National Human Rights Advisory Commission speaks on the issue.

January 25, 2023

Belgium: seen in the press / 2023

News

Women Europe LGBTQI Long-term prisoners Justice Health Mental health Material conditions Work Belgium

Violence, acts of protest, prison conditions, justice reforms: find out what is new about prisons and justice in this country. Prison Insider monitors the press on a regular basis. Change the language setting to French or Spanish to read other articles.

January 24, 2023

United Kingdom: seen in the press / 2023

News

Women Europe Justice Health Mental health Material conditions Overcrowding United Kingdom

Violence, acts of protest, prison conditions, justice reforms: find out what is new about prisons and justice in this country. Prison Insider monitors the press on a regular basis.

January 24, 2023

Netherlands: Ultra-secure prison to get its own courtroom

News

Europe Justice Facilities Netherlands

A courtroom will be built within the Extra Secure Institution (EBI) in Vught, where the country’s most serious convicted criminals and suspects are detained.

January 12, 2023

France: “Non-places"

Insights Focus

Europe Facilities France

Grégoire Korganow is a photographer. His series Périphéries (Surroundings) reveals the geography of incarceration in France: places in the middle of nowhere farther than the eye can see. He spoke with Prison Insider about one of his photographs.

January 11, 2023

Belarus: Former detainee speaks of torture

News

Europe Violence Belarus

In Belarus, daily detentions, torture, and beatings on political grounds have been going on for over two years.

January 2, 2023

Pre-trial detention Women Europe Minors Foreign prisoners LGBTQI Long-term prisoners Access to legal rights Discipline Justice Health Mental health Material conditions Suicide Overcrowding Torture Violence Activities Social ties Work Belgium

All there is to know about Congolese prisons in 2023. Key figures, life in detention, references: discover all the data gathered by Prison Insider.

December 30, 2022

France : prisons in 2022

Analysis

Pre-trial detention Women Europe Minors Foreign prisoners LGBTQI Long-term prisoners Access to legal rights Discipline Justice Health Mental health Material conditions Suicide Overcrowding Torture Violence Activities Social ties Work France

All there is to know about French prisons in 2022. Key figures, life in detention, references: discover all the data gathered by Prison Insider.

December 9, 2022

Suisse : des détenus accros à la prégabaline mettent les médecins sous pression

News

Europe Health Switzerland

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

December 8, 2022

Luxembourg: Third prison inaugurated

News

Europe Justice Luxembourg

The inauguration of the Sanem prison took place on Wednesday, in the presence of the Grand Duke. The facility will separate accused and convicted individuals in Luxembourg’s prison system.

December 8, 2022

España: Terapia entre arcilla y pinceles en la prisión

News

Europe Activities Rehabilitation Spain

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

December 1, 2022

Mujeres en prisión: una población vulnerable

News

Women Europe Justice Spain

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

November 28, 2022

Italia: 45 probed for 'torturing' Ivrea prison inmates

News

Europe Torture Violence Italy

Guards, doctors,functionaries and ex-wardens are under investigation

November 24, 2022

A prison in the City

Insights

Europe Facilities Social ties France

The prison in Cherbourg is in the city centre.Prisoners and locals give their impressions of incarceration and of living behind and beside prison walls.

November 20, 2022

The Move

Insights

Europe Material conditions Facilities France

Moving from the stone walls of the 19th century to the concrete of the 21st: this is the story told in Catherine Rechard’s documentary Le déménagement (The Move). The story of a prison that left central Rennes in favour of the outskirts.

November 7, 2022

France: in search of freedom

Insights Focus

Europe Justice Rehabilitation France

Kevin Dubost is a photographer and social worker who led the project “À traversé” between 2019 and 2021: a series of photographs capturing the moments when people being released from prison experienced freedom. He describes one of his photographs.

November 7, 2022

Narratives of mass incarceration around the globe

Interview

Africa Culture Asia Europe Middle East Access to legal rights Justice Health Drugs Overcrowding Rehabilitation

Dr. Dreisinger is the founder of the Incarceration Nations Network (INN), an international community that works to support, instigate and popularize prison reform efforts around the world. Prison Insider met her in Lyon during a joint screening of the docuseries. We asked her three questions in a v…

October 14, 2022

Russia: las autoridades penitenciarias imponen duras condiciones a Alexei Navalny

News

Europe Material conditions Torture Violence Russia

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

October 14, 2022

Ireland: prison officers 'urged inmates to attack colleagues'

News

Europe Violence Ireland

A Garda file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on allegations that officers in Portlaoise Prison incited some of the most dangerous prisoners in the country to attack other officers.

October 14, 2022

Suisse : à Genève, la grève des gardiens de prison fâche les familles de détenus

News

Europe Material conditions Switzerland

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

September 26, 2022

Ukraine: news from the front lines

Interview

Crises Europe Material conditions Torture Violence Ukraine

Half a year has passed since the beginning of the war. How has the situation evolved in prison? Vadym Chovgan (Danish Institute against Torture) accepted to update us on the recent developments. Interview.

September 20, 2022

Russia: a prisoners’ rights activist says escaped assassination

News

Europe Torture Russia

A prominent Russian prisoners’ rights activist exiled in France said Monday he had escaped an assassination attempt which he blamed on Russian special services and organized crime.