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October 12, 2016

France : prolifération de rats en prison

News

Europe France

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

October 11, 2016

Afghanistan : most Afghan women serve sentences in elders' homes, not prisons

News

Women Afghanistan

When 18-year-old Fawzia was convicted of elopement and adultery, a local Afghan court in the southeastern province of Paktika sentenced her to jail. She soon discovered that she would not be serving the 18-month sentence in a government-run prison, but in the house of a tribal elder where she would…

October 10, 2016

En Ukraine de l'Est, les prisons se transforment peu à peu en goulags

News

Europe Ukraine

Un récent rapport de l’ONG de protection des droits de l’homme Eastern Human Rights Group a dénoncé les conditions de vie des 5 000 prisonniers qui peuplent les établissements pénitentiaires de l’Est de l’Ukraine, dans les oblasts de Louhansk et Donetsk. Depuis la sécession de ces territoires en 20…

October 9, 2016

Ukrainian wars prisoners languish in limbo on both sides

News

Ukraine

Just three days after Ukrainian soldier Oleksandr Lazarenko was taken prisoner in the war in Ukraine’s east, a peace agreement was signed under which the sides agreed to an “all-for-all” prisoner exchange. A year and a half later, his wife still waits desperately for his return.

October 8, 2016

États-Unis : et la Californie inventa la prison payante !

News

United States

Certains condamnés peuvent choisir de purger leur peine dans une prison municipale plus confortable que celle du comté. À condition de payer… (…) En Californie, certains individus ont le droit – avec l’aval du juge – de choisir le lieu de leur détention. Ils peuvent décider d’aller dans l’établisse…

October 7, 2016

Guatemala : Attempted Uprising Highlights Lack of Control in Guatemala Prisons

News

America Central America and the Caribbean Guatemala

A prison riot in Guatemala highlights a broken system that continues to suffer from overcrowding, rising violence and a lack of organizational leadership – all of which likely exacerbates the nation’s gang problems. The riot occurred on October 6 at the high-security Boquerón prison in the Santa Ro…

October 7, 2016

L'Italie regarde ses prisons en face

News

Europe Italy

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

October 6, 2016

Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories : when hunger is the only option

News

Middle East Israel

Mariam al-Hih received a distressing phone call from her son Omar last month. Omar was going on hunger strike to protest how Israel had locked him up without charge or trial. As many other parents have done in similar situations, Mariam pleaded with Omar not to proceed with his hunger strike. “I to…

October 6, 2016

New Zealand : Serco failure won't end privatisation

News

New Zealand

A damning report on Serco’s management of Mt Eden Correctional Facility will not spell the end of privately run prisons or further contracts for Serco, the Government says.

October 6, 2016

France : l'État enjoint d’intensifier la dératisation dans la prison de Fresnes

News

Europe France

L’administration pénitentiaire doit intensifier la dératisation de la prison de Fresnes, poursuivre “dans les meilleurs délais” toutes les mesures nécessaires pour bétonner les zones sableuses de l’établissement et reboucher les égouts par lesquels les rats peuvent s’infiltrer au sein de l’établiss…

October 5, 2016

UK : Juliet Lyon, ‘If the state takes away your liberty, it must keep you safe’

News

United Kingdom

The almost 17 years Juliet Lyon spent as director of the Prison Reform Trust before stepping down in July was good preparation for her new role as chair of the Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody (IAP). With figures last month showing violence and death in English and Welsh prisons at a…

October 3, 2016

France : l'État poursuivi en justice pour l'insalubrité de la prison de Fresnes

News

Europe France

Des rats qui pullulent dans les cellules et les coursives, des lits infestés de punaises et de cafards… L’Observatoire international des prisons (OIP) a décidé de poursuivre l’État en justice pour faire cesser l’insalubrité au centre pénitentiaire de Fresnes (Val-de-Marne). La requête en référé-lib…

October 3, 2016

Senegal : child prisoners learn fencing to stay out of trouble

News

Africa Senegal

Inside Senegal’s state penitentiary, jailed minors form an orderly queue. They are being driven away from the prison in Thiès to enter a studio and fight. Senegal is experimenting with a new form of restorative justice where these child prisoners – whose offenses range from violence to theft – are…

October 3, 2016

Kazakhstan : UN torture prevention body urges Kazakhstan to enhance prisoner rehabilitation

News

Asia Torture Kazakhstan

The United Nations’ torture prevention body has urged Kazakhstan to focus more on the rehabilitation of prisoners rather than punishment, as part of efforts to ensure that people deprived of their liberty are protected against torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. “We note that Kazakhs…

October 1, 2016

France : témoignage d'un ex-émeutier en prison

News

Europe Violence France

Franck, ex-émeutier en prison : “J’avais tellement la haine, j’aurais pu tuer” Franck a été enfermé dans huit établissements différents, notamment pour avoir organisé une émeute. Alors que les incidents se multiplient dans les centres de détention, il explique ce qui l’a conduit à cette spirale de…

October 1, 2016

Malawi's murder suspects overstay in prison

News

Africa Malawi

The failure by Malawi government to prosecute murder cases timely is resulting in some remanded suspects going mad, a new report has revealed. The report by the Malawi Prison Inspectorate revealed that authorities took at least a year to bring murder suspects to court.

October 1, 2016

Canada : Québec planifie une nouvelle prison pour femmes

News

America North America Women Canada

Préoccupé par la cohabitation de détenus des deux sexes à la prison Leclerc, le ministre de la Sécurité publique, Martin Coiteux, conclut qu’il faut construire un nouveau centre de détention pour femmes dans la région de Montréal. Dans une entrevue accordée au Devoir, le ministre Coiteux a révélé q…

September 30, 2016

Liban : d’ex-détenues évoquent leurs difficultés à se réinsérer dans la société

News

Middle East Lebanon

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

September 29, 2016

France : les JO en prison

News

Europe France

Après le succès de la première édition en 2012, la plus grande prison d’Europe se met à l’heure olympique. Une parenthèse sportive dans un contexte tendu à Fleury-Mérogis… Une immense clameur descend soudain des deux immenses bâtiments qui entourent le terrain de foot. Normal, dans quelques instant…

September 28, 2016

Venezuela : vinculan hurto de granadas con pranes de la PGV y toma militar en Guárico

News

America South America Violence Venezuela

“En los medios de comunicación social dicen que nosotros somos los que nos llevamos los fusiles y granadas del cuartel, pero si se rompió la seguridad de ellos, eso no es nuestra responsabilidad. A nosotros no nos interesan esas armas”, indicó uno de los líderes de los privados de libertad en la Pe…

September 28, 2016

Egypt : abuses in Scorpion Prison

News

Africa Middle East Egypt

A report, based on 23 interviews with relatives of inmates, lawyers, and a former prisoner, documents abusive conditions in Scorpion. Authorities there have banned inmates from contacting their families or lawyers for months at a time, held them in degrading conditions without beds, mattresses, or…

September 27, 2016

Myanmar : activists report dire state of Myanmar’s prison system

News

Asia Myanmar (Burma)

While the country may be charting a rapid course of reform, behind the high walls and iron bars of the prison system positive change has proceeded at a more sluggish pace. Thousands of prisoners continue to be kept in grueling conditions where mistreatment and exploitation are still the norm, accor…

September 27, 2016

UK : prisons inspector slates HMP Bedford as 'abject failure' over standards

News

United Kingdom

It is easier to get illegal drugs than to get clothes or sheets in Bedford prison, where standards have declined to “unacceptable levels”, according to the new chief inspector of prisons. Peter Clarke, the former head of police counter-terrorism, said it was hard to understand how there had been “s…

September 27, 2016

Kenya : one of the largest prisons has had no water for four days

News

Africa Material conditions Kenya

For the fourth day running, the Naivasha Maximum Security Prison has had no water. This follows the disconnection of the institution’s power supply over an estimated Sh1.6 million in unpaid bills. The power is required to pump water from the institution’s borehole.