Information, topic by topic, on prisons across the world

August 5, 2019

United States: John Oliver cites Arizona controversy as example of prison issues on HBO's "last week tonight"

News

North America United States

In an episode centered around prison labor and reform, John Oliver focused on Arizona’s 2018 controversy surrounding feminine hygiene products for female inmates during his HBO show “Last Week Tonight.”

August 5, 2019

USA: program for children of incarcerated mothers in jeopardy after legislature ends funding

News

Social ties United States

A program serving children with mothers in prison is in jeopardy after the Oregon Legislature ended its funding.

August 5, 2019

France: plaintes pour violences contre des détenus à la prison de Rennes

News

Europe Violence France

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

August 5, 2019

Uzbekistan: closure of the country’s most notorious prison, the "House of Torture'"

News

Asia Uzbekistan

Jaslyk is Uzbekistan’s most notorious prison. On August 2, President Mirziyoyev ordered its closure.

August 5, 2019

Poland: groundbreaking lawsuit targets violations at controversial psychiatric facility

News

Europe Mental health Poland

A client of the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (HFHR) has filed a lawsuit against the State Treasury, seeking damages for multiple violations at the National Centre for the Prevention of Dissocial Behaviours.

August 5, 2019

Prison as seen by children

Interview

Several 9/10-year-old classes drew their impressions of the carceral universe. Lise Simon and Caroline Touraut work for the Direction of Penitentiary Administration in France. They developed this project, gathered the drawings after meeting with the children through workshops. We asked them about…

August 4, 2019

Brazil: violencia salvaje en el infierno de las cárceles

News

South America Violence Brazil

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

August 4, 2019

Spain: la cárcel no es el destino laboral favorito de los sanitarios

News

Europe Spain

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

August 3, 2019

Venezuela: "Las puertas Bachelet", el nuevo método de tortura en las cárceles

News

South America Torture Venezuela

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

August 2, 2019

France : une unité où les détenus soignent leurs addictions

News

Europe France

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

August 2, 2019

Belgique: situation "inacceptable" à la prison de Bruges

News

Europe Belgium

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

August 2, 2019

Brazil: why is prison violence so bad?

News

South America Violence Brazil

Here’s a look at the root causes of Brazil’s prison violence, how the current government is approaching the problem, and what can be done to turn the tide.

August 2, 2019

UK: HMP Littlehey: prison staff restrained 'frail' cancer patients

News

United Kingdom

Prison staff inappropriately restrained “frail” inmates undergoing cancer treatment, inspectors found.

August 1, 2019

France : elle organise des défilés de mode pour les détenues de Fleury-Mérogis

News

Europe France

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

August 1, 2019

UK: prison restaurant serves up cut in reoffending

News

United Kingdom

A high-quality restaurant in prison, where inmates can learn valuable skills in cooking and hospitality, is making a “significant” difference in cutting reoffending rates, say researchers. The Ministry of Justice study suggests inmates trained in the Clink restaurant are much less likely to be stuc…

August 1, 2019

Cuba: más de 60 cubanos inician una huelga de hambre en un centro de detención en México

News

Central America and the Caribbean Cuba

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

July 31, 2019

France : en prison, le sport comme réinsertion

News

Europe France

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

July 31, 2019

Egypt: mass hunger strike at Al-Aqrab prison over denial of family visits and dire conditions

News

Africa Middle East Social ties Egypt

The Egyptian authorities must immediately end cruel and inhumane detention conditions and allow regular family visits at al-Aqrab maximum security prison in Tora where approximately 130 detainees have gone on a mass hunger strike for more than six weeks, said Amnesty International today.

July 31, 2019

Egypt: mass hunger strike in prison

News

Africa Middle East Egypt

About 130 inmates have been on hunger strike in an Egyptian prison for more than six weeks in protest at inhumane conditions and denial of family visits, according to Amnesty International.

July 31, 2019

Spain: mujer, joven y con estudios superiores, una nueva hornada de vigilantes llega a las cárceles

News

Europe Spain

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

July 31, 2019

Venezuela: las cárceles, nidos de corrupción, torturas y muerte

News

South America Torture Violence Venezuela

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

July 31, 2019

Romania: does everyone really have the right to a lawyer?

News

Europe Romania

The justice system in Romania seemed stacked against people who can’t afford a private lawyer, as court appointed counsel are blocked from serving their clients properly.

July 31, 2019

USA: cause of death revealed for transgender woman who died at Rikers Island

News

North America LGBTQI United States

Officials said an autopsy found that a transgender woman died of complications from epilepsy in New York’s Rikers Island jail, exacerbating her family’s suspicion that jail conditions contributed to her death.

July 30, 2019

Brazil: "les prisons sont devenues stratégiques pour l’organisation du trafic de drogues"

News

South America Drugs Brazil

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