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March 18, 2020

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Coronavirus: Prison Fever

Africa Coronavirus North America Central America and the Caribbean Pre-trial detention South America Asia Europe Middle East Health Material conditions Protest Activities

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? Here is an overview. — Update 13/07/20 Read more

July 8, 2020

UK: lockdown report reveals HMP Maidstone inmates confined to cell for 23 hours a day with higher number of self-harm incidents

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Coronavirus Europe Mental health United Kingdom

An inspection of a Kent prison during lockdown has revealed inmates have been confined to their cells for 23 hours a day and had no face-to-face contact with the outside world for at least 12 weeks. The report has also highlighted a “self-inflicted death” at HMP Maidstone since the restrictions came…

Source — KentOnline

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July 8, 2020

USA: many deaths at New York state prisons are preventable, review finds

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North America Health United States

A state prisoner who’d been losing a dramatic amount of weight began to vomit uncontrollably, and was repeatedly given Ibuprofen that made her internal bleeding worse before she died. Another person behind bars waited nearly an hour for a nurse to call an ambulance after he collapsed and had a seizure. And…

Source — The City

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July 8, 2020

Canada: class action alleges prison staff conducting illegal strip searches

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North America Canada

Two former federal prison inmates are trying to bring a class-action lawsuit against the federal government to argue strip searches represent a “serious deprivation of liberty.” Under federal law, prison staff can strip search inmates if they have reasonable grounds to suspect an inmate has contraband…

Source — CBC

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July 8, 2020

USA: No one should have to die in prison

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North America Long-term prisoners Health Material conditions Overcrowding United States

Every year people die in the custody of Illinois Department of Corrections, the vast majority due in part to overincarceration. COVID-19 is highlighting this fact because it is attacking the elderly and infirm, many of whom have spent decades enduring harsh prison conditions. They die lonely deaths for…

Source — Truthout

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July 8, 2020

Morocco: le champion mondial de la détention préventive

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Africa Pre-trial detention Morocco

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

July 6, 2020

Dura crítica del Defensor del Pueblo a la crueldad en las cárceles españolas

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Minors Europe Mental health Spain

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July 6, 2020

Colombia: 285 casos de discriminación a población LGBTI en prisión en 2019

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South America LGBTI Violence Colombia

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July 2, 2020

Colombia: se disparan casos de coronavirus en cárceles de Cali, Cartagena y El Espinal

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Coronavirus South America Health Colombia

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July 2, 2020

Chile: la realidad de las cárceles en pandemia y la falta de información pública

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Coronavirus South America Health Chile

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July 2, 2020

South Africa: Pietermaritzburg prisoners fear Covid-19

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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.

Source — New Frame

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July 2, 2020

Egypt: ‘It would spread quickly in those cells’

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Africa Coronavirus Health Egypt

Fears are mounting over the safety of prisoners in Egypt’s notorious Tora prison, as rights groups say parts of the complex have been cordoned off to quarantine those diagnosed with coronavirus. Families of those held inside the huge compound south of Cairo, which houses at least eight individual prisons,…

Source — The Guardian

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July 2, 2020

China: Wang Quanzhang: in prison, I was tortured to extract a confession

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Asia Torture China

The human rights lawyer gives first interview since finishing his sentence in April. He spent four years in jail for “subversion against the state”. After being beaten for hours, the prison authorities forced him to sign an affidavit declaring his guilt. Wang: “Police, investigating magistrates and judges…

Source — Asia News

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July 2, 2020

USA: the coronavirus crisis inside prisons won’t stay behind bars

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Coronavirus North America Health United States

The situation inside the nation’s jails and prisons amid the Covid-19 pandemic has become the stuff of nightmares. Overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, shortages of personal protective equipment (not to mention soap) and restrictions on hygiene products such as hand sanitizer have turned detention facilities…

Source — New York Times

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July 2, 2020

USA: massive COVID-19 outbreak at a southern NM prison hits just one type of inmates — sex offenders. That’s by design.

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Coronavirus North America Health United States

As the coronavirus established a foothold in southern New Mexico’s Otero County Prison Facility in mid-May, state officials quietly moved 39 inmates out of the massive complex near the Texas border to another prison near Santa Fe. The inmates shared something in common: None was a sex offender. In the…

Source — New Mexico In Depth

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July 1, 2020

USA: Coronavirus cases skyrocket at Bay Area prison after inmate transfers

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Coronavirus Health United States

Some men hadn’t been tested for weeks prior to being moved to San Quentin, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Source — Mother Jones

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July 1, 2020

USA: Covid-19 cases at San Quentin prison surge to 1,000

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Coronavirus North America Health Material conditions United States

The number of coronavirus cases in California’s San Quentin state prison has crossed a thousand, with more than 900 cases being diagnosed in the last two weeks alone.

Source — L'Express

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July 1, 2020

À Hong Kong, la nouvelle loi sécuritaire prévoit la prison à vie

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Asia Justice China

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July 1, 2020

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

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Africa Coronavirus Minors Health Cameroon

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June 24, 2020

France: le bracelet électronique pour les ex-détenus terroristes, une mesure votée par les députés

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Europe Justice France

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June 24, 2020

France: la prison altère le fonctionnement du cerveau

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Europe Mental health France

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June 24, 2020

France: déconfinement en prison, "le gel hydroalcoolique est banni, au cas où je voudrais le boire !"

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Coronavirus Europe Health France

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June 24, 2020

Colombia: 2.236 internos contagiados por la COVID-19 en 17 cárceles

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Coronavirus South America Health Colombia

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June 24, 2020

Ecuador: exigen medidas ante brotes de Covid-19 en cárceles

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Coronavirus South America Health Ecuador

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