Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

August 30, 2019

Iran: prisoners in Iran’s Gharchak prison for women protest inhumane living conditions

News

Women Middle East Material conditions Torture Iran

Two hundred inmates in Ward 5 of Gharchak Prison for women in the Iranian city of Varamin have sent an open letter to the head of the State Prisons Organization in Tehran Province protesting the prison’s inhumane living conditions.

August 29, 2019

USA: for incarcerated workers, summer heat can be a death sentence

News

America North America United States

Abilene, Texas—Temperatures reached 97 degrees on June 21 at the French Robinson Unit prison the day Seth Donnelly collapsed.

August 29, 2019

UK: forecast fall in prison numbers not "green light" for government justice reforms

News

Europe United Kingdom

A projected drop in the prison population is “no justification” for an “unevidenced ‘tough on crime’ policy” from the Government, campaigners have said. The comments came as the number of people behind bars was forecast to drop in the next five years.

August 29, 2019

UK: Portland prison had 'unbearable smell of dead rats'

News

Europe United Kingdom

The smell of dead rats made working conditions at a prison “unbearable”, a report has said.

August 27, 2019

Malta: changes to prison reform are slow to happen

News

Malta

Over the past weeks we’ve seen major changes done to Corradino Correctional Facility with regards to visitation rights and conjugal visits, but how much do we really know about the basic functions of a prison? Jeremy Micallef speaks with Senior Lecturer in the Department of Criminology Dr Sandra Sc…

August 27, 2019

Russie : la CEDH condamne lourdement la Russie dans l’affaire Magnitski

News

Asia Europe Russia

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

August 27, 2019

USA : Aging in Guantánamo

News

America North America United States

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

August 26, 2019

Colombia: ultimátum a cárcel de mujeres en San Diego que está en riesgo de desplomarse

News

America South America Colombia

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

August 25, 2019

Iran: family of murdered iranian prisoner demands prison officials be put on trial

News

Middle East Iran

The murder prompted protests and calls on social media for judiciary reform, citing the department’s incompetence.

August 25, 2019

Russia: 'Black Hole', prosecutors probing allegations of punitive psychiatric treatment in Siberian prison

News

Asia Europe Mental health Russia

Igor Sovchuk, a prisoner at prison IK-6 in the city of Tyumen, Siberia, complained repeatedly of a headache. After being told repeatedly to shut up, the guards finally agreed to take him to the medical unit. He was given an injection and sent back to his cell.

August 24, 2019

France: une vie entre les murs, le défi des longues peines de prison

News

Europe Long-term prisoners France

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

August 23, 2019

USA: the U.S. isn't counting prison suicides even though the law requires it

News

Suicide United States

Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide shined a light on a problem in the prison system: No one is keeping track of suicide deaths on a national basis.

August 23, 2019

Egypt: urgent investigation needed after death in notorious Al-Aqrab prison

News

Africa Middle East Violence Egypt

Egyptian authorities must urgently carry out an independent and impartial investigation into the death of Hossam Hamed, a 30-year-old prisoner being held at al-Aqrab prison, amid allegations that he was tortured.

August 23, 2019

Switzerland: nursing home behind prison bars

News

Europe Switzerland

Wheelchairs, articulated beds, grab rails for showers and toilets: the infrastructure of the “60-plus” unit at the high-security prison in Lenzburg, north-western Switzerland, reveals the presence of older people behind bars.

August 23, 2019

Switzerland: dying in dignity behind bars

News

Europe Switzerland

Swiss prisons were designed for 20-to-30-year-old offenders who are released after serving their sentences. However, the number of older inmates is steadily increasing.

August 22, 2019

USA : douzième exécution depuis le début de l’année

News

America North America Death penalty United States

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

August 21, 2019

USA: Kansas’ low-staff, long-term prison deal hints at a booming future for private corrections

News

United States

On Valentine’s Day at one of Kansas’ largest state prisons, the new Democratic governor, Laura Kelly, stood before a room of corrections officers in body armor and black polos and begged them not to leave their jobs.

August 21, 2019

Indonesia: Papua prison break, hunt for 250 inmates who escaped torched prison

News

Asia Indonesia

Indonesian authorities are hunting for more than 250 inmates who escaped from a prison in the province of West Papua.

August 20, 2019

Cameroon: Human Rights Watch dénonce la torture de détenus

News

Africa Torture Cameroon

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

August 20, 2019

Indonesia: des centaines de détenus s'évadent d'une prison lors d'une émeute

News

Asia Protest Indonesia

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

August 20, 2019

India: overcrowding, inadequate staff and lack of menstrual products in Haryana prisons: study

News

Asia Overcrowding India

Undignified body searches, absence of proper health and hygiene facilities for female prisoners, inadequate staff, overcrowding and racism are some of the issues afflicting prisons in Haryana, a study by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) and Haryana State Legal Services Authority has…

August 19, 2019

Spain: se duplican las muertes por consumo de drogas en las cárceles

News

Europe Drugs Violence Spain

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

August 19, 2019

New Zealand: Hōkai Rangi, the plan to reduce Māori in prison from 52 percent to 16

News

Oceania New Zealand

The Department of Corrections has launched a major new strategy focused on treating prisoners with respect and giving them more access to whānau.

August 18, 2019

Nicaragua: cárcel y homofobia

News

America Central America and the Caribbean LGBTQI Nicaragua

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