Access to legal rights
Africa
Access to legal rights
Torture
Violence
Egypt
A new prison which Egypt touted as a model for reform and which holds some of its most prominent prisoners denies inmates healthcare and subjects them to punitive treatment including isolation, relatives of those inside and rights groups say.
Four prisoners died at the Badr facility because of medi…
Source — Reuters
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Canada: bringing law into prisons
Interview
Africa
Access to legal rights
Botswana
Responding to a question from the MP for Selibe-Phikwe West, Dithapelo Keorapetse, the Minister of Justice Machana Shamukuni attributed the judgement debtors to a rise in unemployment, lack of financial literacy and increased cost of living.
Despite calls for a revision of the policy in the face of…
Source — The Botswana Gazette
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Middle East
Access to legal rights
Health
Iran
The report indicates extremely poor health conditions in the detention center, including “dirty” bathrooms, with prison authorities refusing to give the prisoners cleaning supplies despite repeated requests.
Daemi wrote that her report was based on the stories of women who had recently been release…
Source — IranWire
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Argentina: el papa Francisco criticó “el deterioro de las condiciones de detención”
News
South America
Access to legal rights
Justice
Argentina
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish
Argentina: debate por mejorar las condiciones en cárceles y alcaidías bonaerenses
News
South America
Access to legal rights
Justice
Argentina
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish
Argentina: elaboración de un informe sobre las condiciones de detención en Entre Ríos
News
South America
Access to legal rights
Justice
Argentina
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish
Russia: Navalni denuncia un endurecimiento de las condiciones de detención
News
Asia
Access to legal rights
Material conditions
Russia
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish
Africa
Coronavirus
Pre-trial detention
Minors
Access to legal rights
Health
Material conditions
Social ties
Togo
What is the response to offences committed by minors? In many cases, it is detention. Civil society actors express concern over the situation of minors in conflict with the law. Three key questions shed light on this issue.
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Africa
Culture
Asia
Europe
Middle East
Access to legal rights
Justice
Health
Drugs
Overcrowding
Rehabilitation
Dr. Dreisinger is the founder of the Incarceration Nations Network (INN), an international community that works to support, instigate and popularize prison reform efforts around the world. Prison Insider met her in Lyon during a joint screening of the docuseries. We asked her three questions in a v…
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Pakistan: submerged and forgotten
Interview
Asia
Access to legal rights
Health
Material conditions
Pakistan
Pakistan experienced torrential rains between June and September 2022. The floods submerged a third of the country. What about prisons? Zainab Mahboob and Fakhra Irshad from Justice Project Pakistan shared with us what they know about the current situation. Interview.
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Africa
Minors
Access to legal rights
Justice
Guinea
Nordine Drici is a historian and legal expert on prisoners’ rights. He wrote an overview of the penitentiary situation in Guinea, examining access to justice in the country. This expert evaluation formed part of a training programme (under the RESPECT project) that he provided for Lawyers Without B…
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Denmark: on behalf of prisoners
Interview
Algeria: seeing things from the other side
Testimonial
Africa
Access to legal rights
Justice
Torture
Violence
Rehabilitation
Algeria
Rachid M. was imprisoned in Algeria from 1996 to 1999. After previously discussing the conditions in prison and what Ramadan is like there, he now talks about his release and his human rights activism.
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Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
United Kingdom
England and Wales are two constituent countries of the United Kingdom. While their health, justice and prison policies fall under common legislation, their prison health services differ.
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Switzerland: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Switzerland
In Switzerland, people declared not criminally responsible are subject to therapeutic measures. In 2018, there were nearly 960 people subject to therapeutic measures. Nearly 60% of people subject to in-patient treatment are placed in prison.
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Spain: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Spain
There are 17 autonomous communities in Spain. Criminal legislation applies to the entire country. The Catalonia region is responsible for managing its own prisons. Thus, two different government administrations oversee the penitentiary system.
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Netherlands: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Netherlands
Both in its European and overseas territories, care in prisons is administered by the Ministry of Justice. Around 60% of prisoners present with at least one mental disorder. Prisoners suffering from severe disorders have to be placed in Extra Care Facilities (Extra Zorgvoorziening, EZV) present in…
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Italy: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Italy
The Ministry of Justice oversees the prison system. The organisation of health care in prisons has been the responsibility of the National Health System (Servizio sanitario nazionale, SNS) since 2008. There are many prisoners with mental health problems.
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Belgium: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Belgium
Belgium is a federal state. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for prison administration and prison healthcare. People suffering from mental illness who commit a crime are subject to a psychiatric assessment.
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Germany: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Germany
Germany is a federal republic divided into 16 Länder. The Ministry of Justice oversees prison health care. Federal law does not provide for any mental health care in prison. The Länder implement treatment measures. Significant variations have been observed from one territory and facility to another…
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France: walling up madness
Analysis
Europe
Access to legal rights
Discipline
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
France
France has 187 prisons. Since 1994, prison health care falls under the authority of the Ministry of Health. Prison mental healthcare was the subject of a major reform in 2002.
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Walling up madness
Analysis
Comparative study
Europe
Access to legal rights
Mental health
Drugs
Material conditions
Suicide
More than 40 % of prisoners in Italy suffer from at least one mental disorder, about 30% in Spain, 35% in England, and 60% in the Netherlands. Does prison make you go mad? This is no doubt true for some. Prison Insider provides an overview of practices in eight countries.
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Asia
Access to legal rights
Justice
Material conditions
Death penalty
Japan
Death penalty is an ongoing issue despite international criticism. What is the current situation in Japan regarding the death penalty?
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