Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

April 8, 2021

Nigeria: how at least 2,000 inmates were freed by gunmen at Imo prison

News

Africa Protest Violence Nigeria

The gunmen also attacked the nearby office of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the state police command, also freeing suspects there.

March 18, 2021

Managing uncertainty in prison: diverse responses to COVID-19

Analysis Thematic paper

Africa Coronavirus Crises Central America and the Caribbean South America Asia Europe Material conditions Social ties

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the 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

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 17, 2021

Argelia: tácticas represivas contra activistas de Hirak dos años después

News

Africa Pre-trial detention Access to legal rights Torture Violence Algeria

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

March 1, 2021

South Africa: investigating prison for profit

News

Africa Material conditions Facilities Torture Violence South Africa

Violence has deep roots in South Africa, going back to colonial conquest and the apartheid state. Which is why those who end up in prison receive very little sympathy, and even less coverage in the national press.

February 24, 2021

Zimbabwe: prison inmates urged to embrace Covid-19 vaccine

News

Africa Coronavirus Health Zimbabwe

PRISON inmates have been encouraged to embrace the Covid-19 vaccine whose rollout programme that has been approved by the government. Zimbabwe this week received 200 000 doses of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine from China whose roll out begins today. The Vaccination programme has an overall target o…

February 24, 2021

République démocratique du Congo : comment lutter contre la malnutrition et les maladies dans les prisons ?

News

Africa Health Congo - Kinshasa

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

February 15, 2021

Algérie : des ONG se mobilisent contre la torture et les conditions de détention

News

Africa Pre-trial detention Access to legal rights Justice Protest Torture Violence Algeria

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

February 8, 2021

Guinée : "décédé de mort naturelle" un constat qui se multiplie à la prison de Conakry en Guinée

News

Africa Access to legal rights Health Material conditions Guinea

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

February 2, 2021

Guinea: deaths in detention and prison sentence for opposition members

Africa Access to legal rights Health Material conditions Protest Guinea

Authorities in Guinea must investigate the deaths of at least four people in detention and end a wave of arrests targeting at least 400 opposition and civil society members.

February 1, 2021

Maroc : des personnes pénalement irresponsables en prison, alerte sur une anomalie carcérale

News

Africa Access to legal rights Justice Mental health Morocco

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

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 18, 2021

Africa: coronavirus, prison fever / 2021

News

Africa Coronavirus Health Material conditions Protest

The Covid-19 has not stopped at prison gates. What measures are taken to guarantee the safety of all prisoners and prison staff? What are the consequences of the pandemic on the living conditions in prisons? — Update 31/12/2021

December 22, 2020

Egypt: collective punishment at prison

News

Africa Access to legal rights Discipline Justice Protest Torture Violence Egypt

A human rights watchdog Thursday accused Egyptian authorities of making modifications to a notorious Cairo prison that amount to “collective punishment” of inmates following an escape attempt that left four policemen dead. Egyptian security agencies last month had construction workers make changes…

December 14, 2020

Egipto: estremecedor aumento de las ejecuciones revela profunda crisis de derechos humanos

News

Africa Access to legal rights Justice Health Death penalty Torture Violence Egypt

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

December 4, 2020

Egypte : Amnesty dénonce une "frénésie d’exécutions" avec 57 mises à mort depuis octobre

News

Africa Access to legal rights Justice Death penalty Egypt

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

December 2, 2020

République démocratique du Congo : des femmes détenues violées lors des émeutes à la prison de Lubumbashi

News

Africa Women Justice Health Mental health Violence Congo - Kinshasa

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

November 12, 2020

Tchad : prison secrète de l’ANS, des détenus racontent les sévices subis

News

Africa Access to legal rights Justice Health Torture Violence Chad

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

October 30, 2020

Nigeria: security operatives kill 18 inmates in Warri prison after jailbreak

News

Africa Access to legal rights Discipline Health Material conditions Protest Overcrowding Violence Nigeria

A source explained that while 15 people died during the incident, three other persons died from the bullet injury sustained as the correctional service denied the inmates medical treatment.

October 27, 2020

Egypt: 49 executions in 10 days

Africa Long-term prisoners Access to legal rights Justice Protest Death penalty Violence Egypt

Mass executions follow suspicious prison killings

October 23, 2020

Egipto: cientos de legisladores y legisladoras de la UE y EE. UU. instan al presidente Abdel Fattah al Sisi a que excarcele a presos y presas de conciencia en Egipto

News

Africa Access to legal rights Justice Protest Egypt

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

October 14, 2020

South Africa: sounding the alarm

Interview

Africa Coronavirus Crises Justice Health Material conditions Social ties South Africa

“The numbers kept going up, and up, and up and up…”. More than 2,700 South African prisoners are infected with the coronavirus. We have asked three questions to the NGO Sonke Gender Justice.

September 22, 2020

Ouganda: vaste chasse à l'homme pour retrouver 200 prisonniers échappés

News

Africa Coronavirus Health Protest Uganda

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

September 18, 2020

Kenya: the dehumanisation and exploitation of inmates in state prisons

News

Africa Health Material conditions Torture Violence Work Kenya

Kenyan prisons today carry the DNA of their forebears – the colonial prisons and Mau Mau detention camps. They are about brutalising prisoners into submission and scaring the rest of society into compliance with the state. And like their colonial predecessors, they are also sites of forced labour.