Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

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 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

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 5, 2017

Indonesia: two days after prison break, 200 inmates at large

News

Asia Indonesia

Indonesian authorities said about 200 inmates remained at large two days after a mass escape from an overcrowded prison on Sumatra island.

April 30, 2017

Former guard reveals what life is like at a North Korean prison camp

News

Asia North Korea

Lim Hye-jin described watching interned political dissenters set on fire, beheaded and shot dead en masse in collective punishment following escape attempts. Thousands of inmates in North Korean prison camps face beatings, summary executions, starvation and rape, a former guard has revealed.

April 26, 2017

Nepal: new prison houses to be built in 17 districts

News

Asia Facilities Nepal

The Department of Prison Management would replace old and earthquake-damaged prisons in 17 districts with the new ones. The construction will be undertaken in collaboration with the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction.

April 26, 2017

Myanmar: prisoners to be allowed to join in religious activities

News

Asia Religion Myanmar (Burma)

The Prisons Department will allow inmates to carry out religious activities once a month starting from the new fiscal year, said the department’s deputy director from Security Section.

April 26, 2017

Philippines: no resurrection of death penalty at the Senate

News

Asia Philippines

The bill seeking to revive the death penalty is already “dead in the Senate.”

April 25, 2017

India: 404 prisoners in Odisha pass the test

News

Asia India

194 cleared NIOS exams, 187 completed IGNOU courses, says jail official

April 25, 2017

Bangladesh: life imprisonment means jail for rest of life

News

Asia Bangladesh

The Supreme Court has published the full verdict commuting death sentences of two convicts to life imprisonment, making it clear that they will be imprisoned for the rest of their lives.

April 22, 2017

Nepal: 7 injured in Dailekh prison clash

News

Asia Protest Nepal

At least seven inmates were injured in a clash that broke out between two groups at the District Prison in Dailekh on Saturday morning.

April 18, 2017

UNODC to send drug policy advisor to work with Philippine gov't

News

Asia Drugs Philippines

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, or UNODC, announced on Monday (17/04) that it will soon post a dedicated drug policy adviser to work with the Philippine government to enact alternative approaches in combating rising narcotics use in the country.

April 13, 2017

Singapore to roll out 'prisons without guards' concept to beat manpower crunch

News

Asia Singapore

Prisons service says it will use technology to free officers from guard duties.

April 12, 2017

Russia: more than 100 gay men 'sent to prison camps' in Chechnya

News

Asia Europe Russia

Abuses allegedly included mean being taken outside and beaten several times a day, having their hands electrocuted and being forced to sit on bottles

April 11, 2017

Pakistan: 'Depoliticisation of police is a must for effective criminal justice system'

News

Asia Pakistan

Depoliticisation of the police is a must for effective working of the criminal justice system in Pakistan.

April 11, 2017

Indonesia: prison population jumped by 12,000 in two months

News

Asia Overcrowding Indonesia

The number of prisoners being held in Indonesia increased by 12,000 within two months this year, raising concerns about unresolved prison overcrowding problems.

April 11, 2017

Indonesia: House to deliberate alternative forms of punishment in Criminal Code

News

Asia Justice Indonesia

The House of Representatives’ working committee for the amendment of the Criminal Code (KUHP) is looking into alternative forms of punishment in addition to imprisonment.

April 7, 2017

Philippines edges closer to death penalty return for serious drug offences

News

Asia Drugs Philippines

Philippine lower house lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the re-imposition of capital punishment for serious drug offences on Tuesday, clearing another hurdle in President Rodrigo Duterte’s drive to use death as a deterrent against crime.

April 3, 2017

Thailand: yoga knows no prison

News

Asia Thailand

Women inmates find a different form of release while waiting for the gates to open Dozens of female prisoners slowly stretch their limbs during a relaxing yoga class at Bangkok’s Klong Prem Central Prison. “I feel calm listening to the instructor’s voice, and as my muscles unwind, my heart lifts,”…

March 31, 2017

India: inmates in Bagalkot prison go on hunger strike, demand better quality food

News

Asia Protest India

The prisoners complained of bad food quality.

March 21, 2017

Inde : comment sortir d’une prison quand on est innocent ?

News

Asia India

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

March 13, 2017

91% des détenus, privés "illégalement" de liberté à la prison centrale en Haïti, déplore l’expert indépendant de l’ONU Gustavo Gallón

News

Central America and the Caribbean Asia Haiti

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

March 13, 2017

Singapore: grab bars, handrails in some cells as number of elderly prisoners rises

News

Asia Singapore

The number of elderly prisoners has almost doubled in the past five years, and the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) has retrofitted some prison cells with senior-friendly features like grab bars and handrails.

March 12, 2017

Dans les prisons thaïlandaises, "les femmes sont battues à coups de canne"

News

Women Asia Thailand

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