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Testimonials

Prison Insider invites witnesses to shout out, to describe their sadness and share their joys. We invite stories of resistance and want to provide a space where the silent voices of prisoners can be heard

November 28, 2019

United States of America: cheese on a trap

Testimonial

North America Long-term prisoners Justice Drugs United States

Qwantay will be released in 2034. Prison Insider asked him what his first day in prison was like. This is what he told us.

November 20, 2019

Pakistan: 18 years in a death cell despite his innocence

Testimonial

Asia Death penalty Violence Pakistan

Safeer was sentenced to death. He served 18 years and has now been released on bail to await his Supreme Court appeal. Excerpts.

October 31, 2019

United States of America: fighting through the noise

Testimonial

North America Long-term prisoners Justice United States

Kyle H. has been incarcerated since 2001 and is serving a life sentence.He tells Prison Insider how his days go by.

October 22, 2019

DRC: “Prison teaches looking backwards”

Testimonial

Africa Justice Congo - Kinshasa

“In some buildings, 80 prisoners are packed into 30m².” Mwana is currently serving his 19th year of incarceration. He speaks out.

October 17, 2019

Cameroon: "Some of the people sentenced to death go crazy"

Testimonial

Africa Death penalty Violence Cameroon

A team of lawyers met 37 inmates who were sentenced to death and are being held in various Cameroonian prisons. Excerpts.

October 17, 2019

United States of America: an average day at the joint

Testimonial

North America United States

Qwantay has been incarcerated for 16 years and will be released in 2034. He describes what a day in prison is like.

October 10, 2019

Japan: ”her present fate is to rot in solitude”

Testimonial

Women Asia Death penalty Japan

C. Hayashi has been visiting his mother on death row for 16 years. He talks about her conditions of detention.

October 10, 2019

Iran: a child of the gallows

Testimonial

Middle East Death penalty Iran

Homan was born in prison. Both his parents were executed. He then spent three years in prison. This is his story.

October 10, 2019

Belarus: “we’re still wondering where he is buried…”

Testimonial

Europe Death penalty Belarus

Aliaksandra Y.’s father was sentenced to death and executed in 2016. She was not notified of the execution. This is her story.

August 27, 2019

Mauritania: ordinary detention

Testimonial

Africa Mauritania

Mohamed faces a police check. He is arrested and placed in custody for lack of proper documentation. He spends one week there. He tells his story.

August 23, 2019

Guinea: intimidation by imprisonment

Testimonial

Africa Guinea

Barry was a member of the main opposition party to President Alpha Condé. He was incarcerated for over four years.

August 22, 2019

“I am a woman, do not lock me up with men!”

Testimonial

Women LGBTQI Morocco

Sama was incarcerated in Boulmharez, Morocco. She tells her story.

August 19, 2019

Argentina: neglected prisons

Testimonial

South America Argentina

Inmates in the Marco Paz and Los Olmos prisons live in deplorable conditions. Photographs testify to the gravity of the situation.

June 20, 2019

Australia: "I just need it to end"

Testimonial

Oceania Australia

Ralph is a British citizen detained in a prison farm, in Kernet. He has been incarcerated for more than six years and is about to be released. He tells Prison Insider how a regular day goes by in prison.

June 6, 2019

Japan: time is money

Testimonial

Asia Japan

Geoffrey is incarcerated in Osaka prison. He describes, for Prison Insider, one working day.

April 24, 2019

Japan: "ridiculously crazy, but true!"

Testimonial

Asia Japan

“We are only allowed five letters per month.” Geoffrey is incarcerated in Osaka. He wrote to Prison Insider. Abstracts.

April 18, 2019

Swaziland: “a day in prison feels like many”

Testimonial

Africa Eswatini

As a 27-years-old political activist fighting for democracy, B. was arrested, beaten, tortured and imprisoned. He tells his story.

March 14, 2019

Mauritania: sentenced to death then pardoned

Testimonial

Africa Death penalty Violence Mauritania

Fatimata was sentenced to death. Pardoned in 2016, she tells her story.

March 12, 2019

United States of America: hopeless insomnia

Testimonial

North America United States

Robert Lee Allen is currently serving his fifth year of a 17 years-sentence. He tells Prison Insider how doing time is a daily battle.

January 31, 2019

France: a scenario written in advance

Testimonial

Europe Long-term prisoners Rehabilitation France

Roland spent 15 years in prison. He looks back on his journey for Prison Insider

January 31, 2019

France: on parole, but still in prison

Testimonial

Europe Rehabilitation France

Mickaël is serving his sentence as a parolee in Douai. He and six fellow inmates discuss their impressions and feelings.

January 23, 2019

Lebanon: and so, the days go on

Testimonial

Middle East Lebanon

Hussein is incarcerated in the Roumieh central prison. His trial is still going on and he does not know how much longer it will be until it is over. He tells Prison Insider what a typical day in prison is like.

December 26, 2018

Japan: deprivation of liberty, deprivation of humanity

Testimonial

Asia Japan

Geoffrey is currently incarcerated in Osaka prison. He tells, for Prison Insider, what any day in a Japanese prison looks like.

December 20, 2018

Ukraine: little has changed

Testimonial

Europe Ukraine

Sergiy was incarcerated during four years between 2001 and 2005 in the prison of Cherkasy.For Prison Insider, he describes how a day used to be like for him.