Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

May 6, 2021

Guinée : après sept mois de détention arbitraire, le militant Oumar Sylla doit être libéré

News

Africa Coronavirus Pre-trial detention Access to legal rights Justice Health Guinea

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

May 4, 2021

Russia: Daghestani and Azerbaijani inmates sew mouths shut in Russia prison hunger strike

News

Asia Health Material conditions Protest Torture Violence Russia

Nine inmates of a prison colony in Smolensk sew their lips shut as part of a hunger strike over “inhuman treatment” at the hands of prison guards.

April 29, 2021

Bahrain: tensions rise in Bahrain prison as inmates' families protest conditions

News

Coronavirus Middle East Health Protest Violence Bahrain

Tensions had been rising in the country’s main Jau prison since an outbreak of COVID-19 last month

April 29, 2021

Ghana: Ho prison infirmary upgraded to health centre

News

Africa Health Material conditions Overcrowding Ghana

The Ho central prison infirmary has been upgraded to a health centre to properly serve the health needs of inmates and officers of the prison.

April 28, 2021

Russia: human rights crisis deepens as Navalny supporters arrested en masse

News

Pre-trial detention Asia Europe Health Protest Violence Russia

Russian authorities unleashed a crackdown on peaceful protesters demanding the release of Aleksei Navalny, arresting at least 1,700 and using excessive force, including tasers, at demonstrations around the country.

April 28, 2021

Saudi Arabia: fears for health of imprisoned human rights defender held incommunicado

News

Coronavirus Middle East Health Overcrowding Social ties Saudi Arabia

Fears are growing for the health and wellbeing of imprisoned human rights defender Mohammed al-Qahtani, who has been held incommunicado after testing positive for Covid-19 in Saudi Arabia’s Al Ha’ir prison, said Amnesty International.

April 7, 2021

Thailand: Thai protest leader on hunger strike given IV drip in prison

News

Asia Health Material conditions Thailand

One of the leaders of Thailand’s pro-democracy movement was being administered an intravenous fluid drip in prison on Friday after officers said they found him weakened because of a hunger strike that has lasted longer than two weeks.

April 7, 2021

Russie : Alexeï Navalny entame une grève de la faim pour protester contre l’absence d’accès à des soins

News

Asia Europe Health Torture Russia

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

March 30, 2021

Brasil: Xuxa propuso que se prueben vacunas y medicamentos en presos “que al menos sirvan para algo”

News

Coronavirus South America Health Brazil

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

March 30, 2021

Venezuela: limitaciones de movilidad durante cuarentena radical impiden que familiares lleven alimentos a sus detenidos

News

Coronavirus South America Health Material conditions Social ties Venezuela

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

March 22, 2021

Italy: “political action is powerless"

Interview

Coronavirus Europe Health Protest Overcrowding Italy

The second wave of the pandemic hit prisons with overwhelming force. What can the authorities do?

March 19, 2021

Forgotten behind bars: Covid-19 and prisons

Report

Coronavirus Health Overcrowding

Amnesty International has released a new report, produced in collaboration with Prison Insider. The spread of COVID-19 in prisons and other detention facilities has thrown into stark relief systemic threats to health in detention such as overcrowding and poor sanitary conditions

March 18, 2021

Chile : Managing uncertainty

Analysis

Coronavirus South America Health Material conditions Protest Activities Social ties Work Chile

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Chilean authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 18, 2021

Spain: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Coronavirus Europe Health Material conditions Protest Activities Social ties Spain

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Spanish authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 18, 2021

South Africa: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Africa Coronavirus Health Material conditions Protest Overcrowding Activities Social ties South Africa

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the South African authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 18, 2021

Thailand: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Coronavirus Asia Health Material conditions Overcrowding Activities Social ties Work Thailand

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Thai authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 18, 2021

Norway: managing uncertainty

Analysis

Coronavirus Europe Health Material conditions Activities Social ties Norway

As the COVID-19 outbreaks around the world suprised most governments, how did the Norwegian authorities respond to the crisis behind the bars? Were prison authorities prepared to avoid the spread of the virus? Which measures were taken and how did them impact prisoners’ lives?

March 1, 2021

Prisons and jails should be prioritized for the coronavirus vaccine

Analysis

Coronavirus Access to legal rights Health

The combination of massive need and short supply of COVID-19 vaccines requires authorities to define priorities. Whether prisoners should be considered a priority group becomes an urgent question.

March 1, 2021

Venezuela: detenidos de Policarirubana piden descongestionamiento

News

Coronavirus South America Health Overcrowding Venezuela

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

March 1, 2021

Venezuela: familiares de presos de Polimiranda deben llevar agua a diario para aseo y consumo

News

South America Health Material conditions Venezuela

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

March 1, 2021

Irán: recluso sometido a 60 azotes y en riesgo de amputación tras intento de suicidio

News

Middle East Health Mental health Torture Violence Iran

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

February 24, 2021

Zimbabwe: prison inmates urged to embrace Covid-19 vaccine

News

Africa Coronavirus Health Zimbabwe

PRISON inmates have been encouraged to embrace the Covid-19 vaccine whose rollout programme that has been approved by the government. Zimbabwe this week received 200 000 doses of the Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine from China whose roll out begins today. The Vaccination programme has an overall target o…

February 24, 2021

République démocratique du Congo : comment lutter contre la malnutrition et les maladies dans les prisons ?

News

Africa Health Congo - Kinshasa

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

February 18, 2021

Ireland: prison service and HSE seek to put new supports in place to reduce self-harm in prisons

News

Europe Health Ireland

The National Office for Suicide Prevention and the Irish Prison Service want to implement new support services to address self-harming and suicidal behaviour in the country’s jails.