Europe
Women
Europe
Mental health
Suicide
Violence
United Kingdom
The number of self-harm incidents at a women’s prison in Surrey has increased by nearly 20% in a year, a report has found. The Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) said a high turnover of incarcerated people at HMP Send had contributed to a number of “concerning trends”.
Pre-trial detention
Europe
Overcrowding
United Kingdom
The number of people in Scotland’s prisons has risen back above the level which sparked the early release of hundreds of incarcerated people to free up space.
Europe
Facilities
Overcrowding
United Kingdom
Prisons in England reached a crisis point under the last government as “tough on crime” policies led to overcrowding after decades of structural failings and entrenched issues.
Pre-trial detention
Europe
Drugs
Overcrowding
Activities
Social ties
Work
United Kingdom
Staff corruption is a “major problem” at an overcrowded West London prison where over a third of incarcerated people are testing positive for illegal drugs, prison inspectors have found.
Asia
Europe
Health
Mental health
Suicide
Torture
Social ties
Azerbaijan
There have been “suicide attempts” among incarcerated Armenian held in Azerbaijan. The suicide attempts were reported following recent phone calls between the Armenian and their relatives.
Europe
Drugs
Material conditions
Facilities
Overcrowding
Violence
Ireland
The Prison Officers Association (POA) has said the overcrowding crisis within Irish prisons has deepened even further this year. The service has published its annual report for 2024, in which it highlights the urgent need for expanded capacity amid mounting challenges that it faces.
Asia
Europe
Health
Mental health
Azerbaijan
Vicken Euljekjian, who was taken captive during the 44-day war in 2020, has been on a hunger strike in Baku prison for 20 days.
Europe
Mental health
Material conditions
Overcrowding
Work
Cyprus
Alexandros Clerides, said that the government must be held accountable for the chronic overcrowding in Cyprus’ prisons, which currently operate at 200 per cent capacity.
Pre-trial detention
Europe
Overcrowding
United Kingdom
Legislation that will include Texas-style scheme to shorten jail time expected to be rolled out this year.
Europe
Foreign prisoners
Overcrowding
United Kingdom
The prison population of England and Wales has jumped to the highest number in nearly a year and is nearing record levels, despite the early release of tens of thousands, official figures show.
Europe
Health
Overcrowding
Violence
United Kingdom
The data, covering April 2024 to March 2025, shows that nearly half (49.6%) of prisons in England and Wales were rated as a concern or serious concern for overall performance.
Central America and the Caribbean
Europe
Foreign prisoners
United Kingdom
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has pledged to create over 30,000 new prison places if he becomes the next Prime Minister, and to send Britain’s “worst offenders to jail in El Salvador” as part of a five-year plan to halve crime rates.
Europe
Mental health
Suicide
Overcrowding
Violence
Netherlands
A recent investigation among 350 employees working directly with people in prison in the Dutch prison system reveals widespread violence and high work pressure, prompting concerns about staff retention.