Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

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.

September 14, 2020

Mapping the 'Blind Spots'

Interview

Africa North America Women Asia Death penalty

What are maps for? How are they produced?

September 9, 2020

Africa: the impossible confinement

Interview

Africa Coronavirus Crises Health Material conditions

In Africa, the COVID-19 epidemic is evolving differently compared to Europe or America. Is the lockdown a solution to the spread of the epidemic?

September 7, 2020

Tunisia: prisons reforms through international influence

Interview

Africa Access to legal rights Justice Protest Rehabilitation Tunisia

Better conditions of imprisonment, effective prison administration and security: a new face for Tunisian prisons. Yasmine Bouagga, sociologist, answers our questions.

July 27, 2020

Egypt: le personnel de santé harcelé et emprisonné

News

Africa Coronavirus Middle East Justice Health Egypt

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

July 27, 2020

Niger: Surpeuplées, les prisons sont des incubateurs pour les djihadistes

Africa Health Overcrowding Niger

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

July 23, 2020

Nowhere to turn

Investigations

Africa Foreign prisoners Access to legal rights Morocco

Some fight for freedom, others try to get it back. Migrants and prisoners often share the same experience: their freedom has been taken away from them. Morocco’s overcrowded hidden prisons: an investigation into the migration routes.

July 22, 2020

DRC: les prisons considérées comme des mouroirs

News

Africa Health Material conditions Torture Congo - Kinshasa

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

July 8, 2020

Morocco: le champion mondial de la détention préventive

News

Africa Pre-trial detention Morocco

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

July 2, 2020

South Africa: Pietermaritzburg prisoners fear Covid-19

News

Africa Coronavirus Long-term prisoners Health Material conditions Overcrowding South Africa

Inmates serving lengthy sentences for serious and violent crimes say basic regulations to combat the spread of the coronavirus are being flouted, putting their lives at risk.

July 2, 2020

Egypt: ‘It would spread quickly in those cells’

News

Africa Coronavirus Health Egypt

Families of prisoners at notorious Tora complex concerned publicised efforts to contain virus are purely cosmetic

July 1, 2020

Cameroon : à Douala, déboires et espoirs des mineurs de la prison

News

Africa Coronavirus Minors Health Cameroon

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

June 18, 2020

Global Prison Trends 2020

Report

Africa Asia Europe Middle East Oceania Material conditions Overcrowding

Over 11 million people are held in prisons worldwide. Many face substandard detention conditions. Sentences keep getting longer, in underfunded justice systems. PRI has published its annual report on the state of prisons and the use of imprisonment: Global Prison Trends 2020.