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Republic of the Congo

Capital city — Brazzaville

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Panorama
Contributor(s)civil society organisations, independent experts

Daily life

Activities

All prisoners are entitled to spend at least one hour a day in the open air

yes

Prisoners must be able to engage in outdoor activities for at least one hour per day (Correctional Code, Article 103).

The prison service offers activities to prisoners

in some facilities

A few activities are offered from time to time at the Brazzaville remand prison. They include carpentry, welding, sewing, hairdressing and gardening workshops. Few people are able to participate.

In general, prisoners have very limited access to activities. They spend their time playing games with each other or gardening.

Religious activities, like worship or communal prayers, are organised by the prisoners themselves or by external actors.

There are designated places for physical activities and sports

no

Sports facilities are practically nonexistent.

Number and percentage of prisoners who participate in socio-cultural activities

Data not disclosed

Number and percentage of prisoners who participate in sport activities

Data not disclosed

Prison facilities have a library

some facilities

Work

Work is compulsory

yes

All convicted prisoners are required to perform prison labour, in accordance with their physical, intellectual and professional abilities (Correctional Code, Article 130).

Despite this, work is rare in detention. Only a few positions in the prisons’ general custodial services are offered.

Number and percentage of prisoners who work

Data not disclosed

All prisoners are allowed to work

yes
i
Correctional Code, Article 130.

Labour as a punitive measure is prohibited

no

The Correctional Code lists assignment to cleaning duties for a maximum duration of seven hours as an applicable disciplinary sanction (Article 118).

Maximum daily/weekly working hours are set, including at least one day of rest

yes

Work must be carried out between Monday and Saturday. It cannot exceed seven hours per day (Order dated 15 September 2011 establishing the remit and organisation of the DGAP’s services and offices, Article 33).

Prisoners are paid for their work

yes

“Management alone is authorised to collect, on behalf of prisoners, the sums that will eventually be paid to them in exchange for their labour” (Correctional Code, Article 131). Management distributes these sums (earnings) in three equal parts (Article 132):

  •  a deposit on potential funds owed to the State for the payment of fines, legal fees, and statutory contributions, where applicable

  •  available funds, which are granted to the prisoner for their personal needs and those of their family

  •  reserves, which are given to the prisoner upon their release

Health and safety standards applicable outside are respected in prison

-

The Correctional Code states that “prisoners assigned to a job or task benefit from the legal provisions in force relating to labour and social protection” (Article 134).

Education and vocational training

Prisoners enrolled in educational training

Data not disclosed

Education is provided

in some facilities

The International Federation of Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (Fédération internationale des ACAT, FIACAT) and ACAT Congo reported in 2018 that only the Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire remand prisons had educational staff.1

The social rehabilitation centre at the Brazzaville remand prison was closed in 1997 and was not renovated until August 2017. The centre aims to help young prisoners as they prepare to pass State examinations.2

  1. Fédération internationale des ACAT (FIACAT), ACAT Congo, “Joint alternative report by FIACAT and ACAT Congo on the implementation by Congo of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment”, March 2015, p. 47 (in French). ↩

  2. Fédération internationale des ACAT (FIACAT), ACAT Congo, “Contribution of FIACAT and ACAT Congo to the Third Universal Periodic Review of the Congo”, March 2018, p. 10 (in French). ↩

Education is available for all prisoners

no

Prisoners are entitled to academic training (Correctional Code, Article 34). However, in practice, this clause is rarely respected.

In Brazzaville, secondary education is available.1

  1. UN Human Rights Council, Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Thirty-first session, “National report submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21 of the Human Rights Council: Congo”, 14 September 2018. ↩

The prison service implements measures to fight illiteracy

no

Prisoners are allowed to pass diplomas and entry examinations

yes

Prisoners may pass secondary school examinations.1

  1. UN Human Rights Council, Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Thirty-first session, “National report submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21 of the Human Rights Council: Congo”, 14 September 2018. ↩

Number and percentage of prisoners enrolled in vocational training

Data not disclosed

Vocational training is provided

-

In Brazzaville, six vocational training modules have been available since August 2017.1

  1. UN Human Rights Council, Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, Thirty-first session, “National report submitted in accordance with paragraph 5 of the annex to resolution 16/21 of the Human Rights Council: Congo”, 14 September 2018. ↩

Vocational training is available for all prisoners

no

Few people have access to vocational training due to the insufficient offering.

Religion

Prisoners are free to practice their religion and follow their beliefs

yes

Prisoners are entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. The Correctional Code states that they may practice the religion of their choice, according to the conditions for the facility’s organisation, with no other limitations except those required in the interests of security and orderliness (Article 76).

Dedicated places of worship are available

-

Librairies sometimes serve as places of worship.

There are chaplains in the prisons

yes

Every prisoner has the right to meet with a minister from their religion inside the prison facility (Correctional Code, Article 102).

Chaplains from the Catholic and Evangelical Churches regularly visit the Brazzaville remand prison in an alternating fashion. Some incarcerated pastors exercise their functions while in prison.

The diocese is heavily involved at the Pointe-Noire remand prison. For example, it organises weekly masses as well as Christmas celebrations.

Few chaplains from the Kimbanguist Church visit prisoners.

External actors

Individuals or organisations from the outside are allowed to participate in prison activities

yes

Authorisations for external actors to take part in prison activities are provided by

the prison service

Various associations take action in detention, especially to distribute food and provide certain types of care. Samusocial, for example, has provided assistance at the Pointe-Noire remand prison for several years.

ACAT Congo is authorised to carry out monitoring activities in detention.