Access to legal rights
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
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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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Europe
Access to legal rights
Justice
Health
Mental health
Switzerland
Psychiatric expertise has grown in the last few years, especially in assessing recidivism risk. Can risk really be predicted? Interview.
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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.
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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.
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Europe
Access to legal rights
Material conditions
Death penalty
Torture
Social ties
Belarus
Belarus is the only European country where the death penalty is applied. Data relating to death sentences and executions are confidential. The time between trial and execution is very short. The country has been condemned several times for failing to respect the right to a fair trial.
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Asia
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Death penalty
Torture
Social ties
Japan
No executions were recorded in Japan in 2020, for the first time since 2011. Reportedly, more than 25% of people sentenced to death are over the age of 70 and two of them have been incarcerated for over 40 years.
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Asia
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Material conditions
Death penalty
Torture
Social ties
Indonesia
No execution has been recorded since 2016. The number of sentences, however, has been on the rise. Since 2014, Indonesia has increased its efforts in the war on drugs after Indonesian President Widodo described it as a “national emergency”.
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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.
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Asia
Access to legal rights
Material conditions
Death penalty
Torture
Social ties
Pakistan
In 2015, Pakistan accounted for 20% of executions worldwide. However, 2020 saw a suspension of executions and a decline in sentences. Currently, there are more than 4,000 prisoners sentenced to death awaiting execution.
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Asia
Access to legal rights
Material conditions
Death penalty
Torture
Social ties
Malaysia
In 2018, Malaysia had a change in government for the first time since its independence. The new administration has committed to abolishing the death penalty for all crimes. Malaysia has had a moratorium on executions since this date.
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Asia
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Material conditions
Death penalty
Torture
Social ties
India
Most prisoners sentenced to death in India have their sentences commuted to life imprisonment during their judicial process. This can take several years given the duration of the procedures.
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Chile: Derecho a voto en las cárceles
News
South America
Access to legal rights
Chile
This article is not available in English. This article is available in the following versions: Spanish
Pre-trial detention
Middle East
Access to legal rights
Health
Torture
Violence
Iraq
Torture and ill treatment are prohibited under international law. Iraq ratified the international convention against Torture in 2011 and since has enacted national laws criminalizing torture.
The problem is the government has not implemented the procedural safeguards to prevent torture, and so the…
Source — VOA news
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