Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

February 26, 2025

Democratic Republic of Congo: survivors reveal full horror of prison inferno where more than 100 women were raped and burned alive when men staged breakout

News

Africa Crises Women Minors Protest Overcrowding Violence Congo - Kinshasa

At least 153 women are believed to have died and as many as 132 were said to have been burned to death as some 4,000 incarcerated men broke out of the Munzenze prison in Goma during an assault on the city by M23 forces.

February 5, 2025

Democratic Republic of Congo: hundreds of women raped and burned to death after Goma prison set on fire

News

Africa Crises Women Violence Congo - Kinshasa

Hundreds of women were raped and burned alive during the chaos after a Rwandan-backed rebel group entered the Congolese city of Goma. Women were attacked in their wing inside Goma’s Munzenze prison during a mass jailbreak, according to a senior UN official.

September 13, 2024

DRC: more than 260 women sexually assaulted during prison break

News

Africa Women Violence Congo - Kinshasa

More than 260 incarcerated women were sexually assaulted during an attempted mass escape from Democratic Republic of Congo’s Makala Central Prison this month, an internal U.N. report reviewed by Reuters showed.

September 8, 2024

DRC: "hell behind bars", life in Makala Prison

News

Africa Crises Health Material conditions Overcrowding Violence Congo - Kinshasa

In attempting to describe Makala Prison - the scene of a deadly and failed breakout in the Democratic Republic of Congo - two people who have been inside used the exact same word: “hell”.“Makala is not a prison, but a detention centre resembling a concentration camp, where people are sent to die”.

September 4, 2024

DRC: families demand justice amid jailbreak controversy

News

Africa Crises Pre-trial detention Access to legal rights Health Material conditions Overcrowding Violence Congo - Kinshasa

Families of those killed in what authorities called an attempted jailbreak in Congo’s biggest prison are demanding answers from the government as activists denounce what they say are inhumane conditions in the nation’s overcrowded penitentiaries.

March 15, 2024

Democratic Republic of Congo: the country lifts moratorium on death penalty

News

Africa Justice Death penalty Congo - Kinshasa

The country has lifted a moratorium on the death penalty, citing treachery and espionage in recurring armed conflicts as the reason for allowing a resumption of executions, said a justice ministry circular.

October 10, 2023

DRC: tackling the death penalty head-on

Interview

Africa Material conditions Death penalty Torture Social ties Congo - Kinshasa

The death penalty is still in force in the DRC. Death sentences continue to be imposed despite a de facto moratorium on executions. ACAT-DRC is performing long-running advocacy work to achieve abolition. Interview.

October 19, 2022

DRC: psychologically, I am no longer human’ – life after 20 years on death row

News

Africa Death penalty Congo - Kinshasa

On January 16, 2001, the Democratic Republic of Congo President Laurent-Désiré Kabila was murdered. Under pressure to find the culprits, the police arrested members of his personal guard. Lieutenant Richard Yav was among them. Richard was tortured and sentenced to death for a crime he never committ…

October 14, 2022

DRC: "psychologically, I am no longer human’ – life after 20 years on death row"

News

Africa Death penalty Torture Congo - Kinshasa

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

October 14, 2022

DRC: a moratorium on the death penalty is just a stepping stone

Opinion

Africa Death penalty Torture Congo - Kinshasa

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) has written an opinion piece on the limits of moratoriums and the suffering inflicted on people sentenced to death. We reproduce it here.

September 30, 2022

Congo : conditions de vie terribles dans la prison de Mbujimayl

News

Africa Material conditions Overcrowding Congo - Kinshasa

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

September 5, 2022

Congo : des activistes s'insurgent contre le traitement des prisonniers au Nord-Kivu

News

Africa Material conditions Congo - Kinshasa

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

January 18, 2022

DRC: detention conditions of people sentenced to death

Analysis

Africa Access to legal rights Material conditions Death penalty Torture Social ties Congo - Kinshasa

Since 2003, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has observed a de facto moratorium on executions. The authorities do not release any information regarding the application of the death penalty in the country.

November 23, 2021

DRC: Lack of Access to Healthcare

Report

Africa Health Material conditions Suicide Overcrowding Congo - Kinshasa

The Congolese Prison Observatory published a report in December 2019. It reported six deaths and one suicide attempt that year within this prison.

October 12, 2021

Congo kinshasa : Nord-Kivu, 17 détenus libérés de la prison centrale de Butembo

News

Africa Overcrowding Congo - Kinshasa

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

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

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

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

May 13, 2020

Democratic Republic of Congo: dans les prisons surpeuplées, un risque de contaminations en chaîne

News

Africa Coronavirus Health Overcrowding Congo - Kinshasa

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

January 21, 2020

Democratic Republic of Congo: 11 morts en une semaine dans la plus grande prison de Kinshasa

News

Africa Health Overcrowding Violence Congo - Kinshasa

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

January 21, 2020

Democratic Republic of Congo: l’évasion presque ordinaire de 105 détenus d’une prison dans le centre du pays

News

Africa Protest Overcrowding Congo - Kinshasa

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

January 15, 2020

Democratic Republic of Congo: à Kinshasa, onze morts dans l’enfer de la prison de Makala

News

Africa Health Violence Congo - Kinshasa

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

October 23, 2019

DRC : grève suspendue à la prison centrale de Bukavu

News

Africa Congo - Kinshasa

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

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.