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May 17, 2017

Honduras moves 773 gang members to complete prison shake-up

News

America Central America and the Caribbean Honduras

The Honduran government said on Tuesday it had moved 773 gang members to a maximum security prison, completing the relocation of some 2,000 highly dangerous inmates in a bid to prevent penitentiaries serving as command centers for criminal activity.

May 17, 2017

USA: Georgia carries out its first execution in 2017

News

Death penalty United States

Convicted murderer J.W. Ledford Jr. was put to death by lethal injection, despite arguments from his lawyers that the lethal cocktail would react with his pre-existing medication and cause cruel and unusual punishment.

May 17, 2017

UK: what it’s like to be a transgender woman in a men’s prison

News

LGBTQI United Kingdom

During the past 18 months, three openly transgender women have taken their own lives in custody in England: Vikki Thompson, Joanne Latham and Jenny Swift. Their deaths speak of the difficulties that transgender people face behind bars. The ongoing inquest into Thompson’s death sheds some light onto…

May 16, 2017

Massive break illustrates Indonesia’s prison dilemma

News

Asia Protest Overcrowding Indonesia

Overcrowding, miserable sanitary conditions, corrupt guards contribute to chaos

May 16, 2017

British prison is first to use 'disruptor' to create drone-proof 'shield' around jail

News

United Kingdom

A British prison has become the world’s first to use a new system designed to stop drones flying over perimeter walls to drop contraband into jails.

May 16, 2017

Bolivia: improve monitoring and tackle high rate of pre-trial detention, UN torture prevention body urges

News

Overcrowding Torture Bolivia

The UN torture prevention body urged Bolivia to focus more on making the body that monitors places of detention fully independent, effective and in line with the country’s international obligations.

May 15, 2017

New-Zealand: teens in youth prison allege abuse cover-up

News

Violence New Zealand

Teenage boys at a youth prison told visiting watchdogs how staff hit them “on the body where it won’t mark” during fight clubs held away from CCTV cameras.

May 15, 2017

Papua New Guinea mass jailbreak: suspects awaiting trial among 17 shot dead

News

Africa Protest Violence Papua New Guinea

Killings take place in the Pacific nation’s second largest city of Lae after 77 people break out of notorious Buimo jail

May 15, 2017

Series of escapes underscores weakness of Honduras prison system

News

America Central America and the Caribbean Honduras

Sixty-five people escaped from prison in less than 15 days in Honduras, highlighting the chronic dysfunction of the country’s prison system.

May 15, 2017

UK: female Scots prisoners to have children to stay at weekend

News

Women United Kingdom

Children of female prisoners will be able to spend nights and weekends with their mothers in Scotland’s new community jails.

May 15, 2017

USA: Oregon Senate OKs bill to keep youth out of adult prisons

News

United States

Adult prisons aren’t the place for youth who wind up in trouble with the law, say members of the Oregon Senate who voted Monday to send a bill to stop that harmful practice to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature.

May 15, 2017

Bangladesh: 63 jails have no doctors

News

Asia Health Bangladesh

On the midnight of April 26, Jahir Uddin complained of severe chest pain at Dhaka Central Jail. The jail authorities decided to take him to DMCH since the hospital inside the jail does not have facilities to tackle any emergency situation.

May 15, 2017

Malawi to use the OpenTrial app for citizens to access the justice system

News

Africa Malawi

In attendance at the launch to demonstrate the app was the NGO’s (Open Trial) Chief Executive, Frank Richardson, who said that the app will assist with keeping legal system role players under open, public scrutiny. As a result it is hoped that this will encourage integrity, independence, diligence,…

May 15, 2017

Thaïland: lifting the bar on inmate welfare

News

Asia Thailand

It is easy to imagine Kobkiat Kasiwiwat as a school administrator when he talks of the specialties of his “students”.

May 15, 2017

New-Zealand: youth residences violent, bleak and prison-like

News

Violence New Zealand

A report into youth residences has uncovered allegations of regular bullying, fight clubs and a “determination” to stay quiet about serious violence and abuse.

May 15, 2017

UK: prison changes needed for older inmates, report suggests

News

United Kingdom

Changes are likely to be required to the prison estate to accommodate the growing number of inmates with social care needs, a new report has suggested.

May 15, 2017

"A sa place, je me serais suicidé", dit l'avocat du seul interné à vie de Suisse

News

Europe Suicide Switzerland

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

May 15, 2017

Syrian crematory is hiding mass killings of prisoners, U.S. says

News

Middle East Death penalty Syria

The United States accused the Syrian government on Monday of using a crematory to hide mass murders at a prison where thousands are believed to have been summarily executed in the nation’s civil war.

May 15, 2017

Mexico: secret tunnel found in Reynosa prison

News

America Central America and the Caribbean Mexico

A tunnel has been discovered in a Mexican prison, stashed with drugs, alcohol and sharp tools, according to local authorities. Police in Tamaulipas state said the hole, which had been hidden by bricks, was up to five metres (16ft) deep. They said it was unfinished and no one has escaped.

May 15, 2017

Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée: 17 détenus abattus lors d'une évasion massive

News

Africa Protest Violence Papua New Guinea

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

May 14, 2017

Côte d'Ivoire : cinq blessés et un mort à Bouaké, sous contrôle des soldats mutins

News

Africa Protest Violence Côte d’Ivoire

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the French version.

May 13, 2017

Spain: Cañamero reclama la instalación de aparatos de aire acondicionado en las cárceles

News

Europe Spain

This article is not available in English. If you wish, you can consult the Spanish version.

May 12, 2017

Only 56 prisons in Mexico meet standards

News

America Central America and the Caribbean Mexico

US $36 million has been spent on improving Mexican prisons

May 11, 2017

Keeping children in adult Australian prison against the law, judge says

News

Oceania Australia

Human rights advocates say compensation could be paid to the children housed in an adult jail in Victoria, Australia, after a judge declared the practice unlawful.