Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

May 31, 2022

Nigeria: "even hungry dogs’ll reject our meals"

News

Africa Material conditions Nigeria

When the increase was officially announced by the Nigerian Customs Service comptroller (NCS), most inmates in prisons across the country rejoiced, believing that their daily food ration would automatically increase. Seven months later, Encounter’s investigation revealed that inmates’ food rations r…

May 31, 2022

Guinée : À N'Zérékoré, le ministre de la justice s'indigne face aux mauvaises conditions de la prison

News

Africa Material conditions Guinea

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

May 31, 2022

Sénégal : Blocage des visites carcérales

News

Africa Social ties Senegal

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

May 19, 2022

South Sudan : Islamic Council, Somali community release 7 inmates from Juba Prison

News

Africa Justice South Sudan

The inmates are said to have been jailed for petty crimes including failure to pay debts and court fines. Their release was concluded during Eid-el Fitr celebrations.

May 19, 2022

Nigeria : Kano: Ganduje pardons 90 prisons inmates

News

Africa Justice Nigeria

The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has approved the freedom of ninety prison inmates across correctional centres in the state.

May 18, 2022

Burkina Faso : Un mort et au moins 60 prisonniers libérés dans l'attaque d'une prison

News

Africa Violence Burkina Faso

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

May 16, 2022

Sénégal : prison de camp pénal et de Kaolack, 15 détenus en grève de la faim

News

Africa Health Material conditions Senegal

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

May 10, 2022

Algeria: a month (almost) like any other

Testimonial

Africa Material conditions Torture Religion Algeria

Rachid M. was imprisoned in El-Harrach and then Tizi Ouzou between 1996 and 1999. He tells us about conditions in prison, visits and Ramadan.

April 28, 2022

Togo resumes prison visits after two-year ban

News

Africa Coronavirus Social ties Togo

Togo is to allow prison visits to resume from Friday, phasing out a two-year-old ban that was imposed to help curb the spread of coronavirus.

April 28, 2022

Nigeria: Coverup in Nigerian Prison As TB Hits, Kills Several Inmates

News

Africa Health Nigeria

Senior officials, including those in charge of the facility in Katsina, have attempted a coverup to avoid accountability, sources told this newspaper.

April 21, 2022

Cameroun : l’épidémie de choléra dans les prisons inquiète l’opposition

News

Africa Health Material conditions Cameroon

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

April 4, 2022

Kenya: un "marais artificiel" purifie les eaux usées fétides d'une prison

News

Africa Material conditions Kenya

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

March 22, 2022

Niger : Les autorités doivent garantir les droits des détenus

News

Africa Material conditions Niger

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

March 9, 2022

Senegal: out of step, outlawed

Interview

Africa LGBTQI Justice Material conditions Violence Senegal

A new bill is looking to toughen punishment for homosexuality. There are serious concerns about detention conditions for LGBTI people. Interview.

March 9, 2022

Nigeria: the rocky road towards abolition

Interview

Africa Justice Death penalty Nigeria

While its neighbouring countries move towards the abolition of capital punishment, Nigeria is one of the last sub-Saharan African nations to still apply the death penalty.

February 9, 2022

Liberia: Where inmates are short of food, space and uniforms

News

Africa Material conditions Liberia

When the food ran out for inmates at Liberia’s main prison earlier this month it exposed the terrible conditions that have long existed in the country’s jails.

January 18, 2022

Years in the Row

Analysis Thematic paper

Africa Women Asia Europe Minors Foreign prisoners Discipline Health Mental health Drugs Material conditions Overcrowding Death penalty Torture

Some people fear death every morning. Others are sentenced to death in countries that no longer carry out executions. At least 483 executions were documented in 2020. Prison Insider publishes an overview of practices in nine countries that have not abolished the death penalty.

January 18, 2022

DRC: detention conditions of people sentenced to death

Analysis

Africa Access to legal rights Material conditions Death penalty Torture Social ties Congo - Kinshasa

Since 2003, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has observed a de facto moratorium on executions. The authorities do not release any information regarding the application of the death penalty in the country.

January 18, 2022

Mauritania: detention conditions of people sentenced to death

Analysis

Africa Access to legal rights Material conditions Death penalty Torture Social ties Mauritania

Mauritania has a moratorium on executions. Figures about the prisoners sentenced to death are scarce, as is information on their detention conditions. These prisoners are under the same detention regime as the rest of the prison population.

January 18, 2022

Cameroon: detention conditions of people sentenced to death

Analysis

Africa Access to legal rights Material conditions Death penalty Torture Social ties Cameroon

Since 2014, an anti-terrorism law has led to a sharp increase in death sentences in Cameroon. Official data is lacking and is sometimes inconsistent with figures published by civil society organisations.

January 17, 2022

Comoros: “The walls are crumbling by themselves”

Testimonial

Africa Minors Overcrowding Violence Comoros

Chamoun was incarcerated at Moroni Prison in Comoros. He tells us about the dilapidation, the starvation, the debauchery, and the violence.

January 17, 2022

J'ai survécu à la prison au Burundi

News

Africa Burundi

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

January 3, 2022

Au Sénégal, des députés veulent durcir les sanctions contre l’homosexualité

News

Africa LGBTQI Justice Senegal

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

December 23, 2021

Burundi : l’incendie d’une prison fait 38 morts et 69 blessés parmi les détenus

News

Africa Facilities Overcrowding Burundi

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