Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

March 29, 2021

Belgium: what is Haren ?

Interview

Europe Facilities Overcrowding Belgium

One billion euros have been invested in the construction of Haren, a massive prison complex located on the outskirts of Brussels.

March 22, 2021

Italy: “political action is powerless"

Interview

Coronavirus Europe Health Protest Overcrowding Italy

The second wave of the pandemic hit prisons with overwhelming force. What can the authorities do?

March 19, 2021

Forgotten behind bars: Covid-19 and prisons

Report

Coronavirus Health Overcrowding

Amnesty International has released a new report, produced in collaboration with Prison Insider. The spread of COVID-19 in prisons and other detention facilities has thrown into stark relief systemic threats to health in detention such as overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions

March 18, 2021

South Africa: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Africa Coronavirus Health Material conditions Protest Overcrowding Activities Social ties South Africa

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the South African authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 18, 2021

Thailand: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Coronavirus Asia Health Material conditions Overcrowding Activities Social ties Work Thailand

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Thai authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 17, 2021

Haití: sangrienta fuga de una cárcel, se escaparon 400 presos y hay 25 muertos

News

Central America and the Caribbean Protest Overcrowding Violence Haiti

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

March 1, 2021

Venezuela: detenidos de Policarirubana piden descongestionamiento

News

Coronavirus South America Health Overcrowding Venezuela

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

March 1, 2021

Ecuador: violentos motines dejan más de 75 muertos en tres cárceles

News

South America Protest Overcrowding Violence Ecuador

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

February 24, 2021

Malaysia: stop sending MCO offenders to prison, consider other alternative measures

News

Coronavirus Asia Overcrowding Alternatives Malaysia

With Malaysia already facing an impending prison overcrowding issue where close to 70,000 are currently serving jail terms for various offences across the country, lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo urged the government to stop sending movement control order (MCO) offenders to prison as it will only worsen th…

February 18, 2021

Ireland: prison service insists it is effectively dealing with potential crowding issues

News

Coronavirus Europe Overcrowding Ireland

The number of prisoners has been rising as more remand court cases and more trials are taking place.

February 12, 2021

Russia: number of inmates decreases

News

Asia Material conditions Overcrowding Russia

The number of convicts held in correctional system facilities has decreased in Russia up to 482,000 people by the beginning of 2021, the Supreme Court’s head Vyacheslav Lebedev announced Tuesday. According to the highest instance’s Chairman, the number of detainees continues to decline. Last year,…

February 3, 2021

Rusia: detenciones de personas que protestaban pacíficamente

News

Pre-trial detention Asia Access to legal rights Protest Overcrowding Violence Russia

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

February 3, 2021

Mexico: población en cárceles crece a ritmo récord en 2020, hay 14 mil reos más que al inicio del año

News

Central America and the Caribbean Overcrowding Mexico

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

February 2, 2021

Luxembourg : "la prison reste le reflet de la société"

News

Europe Material conditions Overcrowding Social ties Alternatives Luxembourg

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

February 2, 2021

Brazil: Covid-19 aggravating the jail crisis

News

Coronavirus South America Protest Overcrowding Violence Brazil

As the largest and most inhabited country in South America, Brazil has also the largest population of people in jail.

February 2, 2021

Spain: prisons have lowest inmate population in 10 years

News

Europe Overcrowding Spain

Spanish prisons currently have the lowest number of inmates in ten years, thanks in part to legal reforms including the introduction of suspended sentences.

January 26, 2021

Egypt: abused and denied heath care, prisoners’ lives at risk

News

Africa Coronavirus Pre-trial detention Access to legal rights Justice Health Material conditions Overcrowding Torture Violence Egypt

Amnesty International said in a new damning report today highlighting how prison authorities’ callousness has led or contributed to deaths in custody and irreparable harm to prisoners’ health.

January 7, 2021

France: les détenus étrangers sous-protégés, notamment dans les Outre-mer, selon l’Observatoire international des prisons

News

Europe Foreign prisoners Access to legal rights Justice Health Material conditions Overcrowding France

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

January 5, 2021

France: in prison, return to the abnormal

Interview

Coronavirus Europe Health Mental health Overcrowding Social ties France

How are authorities protecting prisoners from the second wave of the epidemic?

December 22, 2020

Pakistan: prison reform needed

News

Coronavirus Pre-trial detention Asia Access to legal rights Justice Overcrowding Social ties Alternatives Pakistan

A joint report by Amnesty International and the Justice Project Pakistan, Prisoners of the Pandemic─ The Right To Health, notes that the reduction of overcrowding in prisons during the first wave of the coronavirus epidemic was not undertaken, even the second wave was now upon us, and there was a r…

December 11, 2020

Belgique : "on est revenu en pleine seconde vague à un taux de surpopulation assez élevé"

News

Coronavirus Culture Europe Access to legal rights Discipline Justice Health Mental health Overcrowding Activities Social ties Belgium

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

December 8, 2020

United States: prisons are Covid-19 hotbeds. When should inmates get the vaccine?

News

Coronavirus North America Health Overcrowding United States

Federal officials have suggested that corrections staff receive high priority for a coronavirus vaccine, but not the millions of vulnerable inmates held in U.S. facilities.

December 8, 2020

Sri Lanka: Amnesty International calls for thorough, impartial probe into prison deaths

News

Coronavirus Asia Protest Overcrowding Violence Sri Lanka

Authorities must work to release hundreds of detainees to ease overcrowding.

December 8, 2020

United Kingdom: investing in yet more prison places is not the way to cut crime

News

Europe Overcrowding Activities Rehabilitation Work United Kingdom

The chancellor’s £4bn to imprison more criminals in England and Wales should be spent helping people live a life outside crime.