September 14, 2020

Mapping the 'Blind Spots'

Interview

Africa North America Women Asia Death penalty

CartONG and Planète Réfugiés-Droits de l’Homme (PRDH) united since September 2019 to create maps aimed at raising awareness about the situation of people on death row worldwide. Nine maps have been produced to date. On March 8th, on the occasion of the International Women’s Day, the two organisations… Read more

September 9, 2020

Africa: the impossible confinement

Interview

Africa Coronavirus Health Material conditions

In Africa, the COVID-19 epidemic is evolving differently compared to Europe or America. Is the lockdown a solution to the spread of the epidemic? Read more

September 8, 2020

Brazil: disregard for life

Interview

Coronavirus South America Health Violence Brazil

With more than 700,000 prisoners, the ailing prison system has been thrown into turmoil by the ongoing political disorder and the health crisis caused by Covid-19. What is the future for prisons in Brazil, and what are the main challenges at present? Read more

September 7, 2020

Tunisia: prisons reforms through international influence

Interview

Africa Access to legal rights Justice Protest Rehabilitation Tunisia

Better conditions of imprisonment, effective prison administration and security: a new face for Tunisian prisons. Yasmine Bouagga, sociologist, answers our questions. Read more

September 7, 2020

Brazil: drugs, walls and being a woman

Interview

Women Access to legal rights Drugs Brazil

Brazil’s prison population tripled in 20 years, resulting to a total of 770,000 inmates in 2,600 prisons. This is due to an increased recourse to detention. The incarceration rate of 133 in 2000 has grown to 466 in nearly two decades. The narration of women imprisonment seems to follow the same trajectory.… Read more

July 30, 2020

European Prison Rules: “progressing the conversation”

Interview

Europe Discipline Justice Material conditions Torture

All prison conditions across Europe are not equivalent. However, the European Prison Rules formulate guidelines to ensure the protection of prisoners’ rights. Are these rules respected? What does their recent revision imply? Read more

July 15, 2020

France: single-occupancy cells are possible

Interview

Coronavirus Europe Health Overcrowding France

The National Union of Prison Directors sent an open letter to the President of the Republic on 20 April 2020 stating that it is “no longer possible to claim that single-occupancy cells are unachievable”. Read more

July 6, 2020

Interview

Coronavirus South America Material conditions Protest Torture Argentina

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

May 19, 2020

Unclear fates behind bars

Interview

Africa Pre-trial detention Asia Europe Middle East Oceania

“Since 2000, the overall number of pre-trial detainees has increased by 30%”. They are now up to three million people to be held awaiting trial around the world. What is the purpose of pre-trial detention? How it is used around the world? Read more

May 5, 2020

Turkey: a life in isolation

Interview

LGBTI Access to legal rights Middle East Material conditions Facilities Turkey

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) prisoners represent a minority. Their protection is not ensured at all levels and their specific needs are neglected. Hilal Basak Demirbas works at the Society in the Penal System association. She regularly exchanges letters with LGBTI prisoners… Read more

April 23, 2020

Italian prisons: facing the crisis

Interview

Coronavirus Europe Justice Health Violence Italy

Mutinies after the suspension of family visits had a heavy toll on prisoners: 12 prisoners died in March. Prison Insider interviewed Antigone association about the management of the crisis by the authorities. Read more

March 25, 2020

France: a prison without bars?

Interview

Europe Long-term prisoners Facilities Work France

Casabianda is currently the only prison without bars on French soil. Guillaume Massart filmed a documentary La liberté (In the Open). Read more

March 12, 2020

France: reintegration is everyone’s business

Analysis Interview

Europe Justice Overcrowding Alternatives Rehabilitation France

With more and more prisoners and a substantial recidivism rate, prison does not succeed in protecting society. Although reintegration is one of the missions of the prison administration, it is not considered to be of vital importance. Why? Read more

March 12, 2020

Women in prison: a "tough place"

Interview

Women Europe Health Mental health

Women and girls make up 7% of the global prison population, in various proportions. While they represent 3% in African countries, it goes up to 8 % in the Americas, and 6 % in Europe. The highest proportions are found in Hong Kong-China (21%), Laos (18%) or Qatar (15%). Read more

February 12, 2020

Changing the prison system: the role of information

Interview

Africa Minors Health Overcrowding

It can be difficult to collect data on prisons. Few people have direct access to it. Carole Berrih explains the necessity of access to quality information. Read more

February 12, 2020

France: the possibility of a conversation

Interview

Europe Justice Alternatives France

In France, restorative justice is a complementary practice to the criminal punishment for an offence. Maiana Bidegain is the codirector of Meeting my aggressor, a documentary that recounts the steps she took to meet the man who raped her when she was a child. We asked her three questions. Read more

January 31, 2020

Canada: “prisoners' health is public health”

Interview

North America Health Canada

Incarcerated persons are at substantially higher risk of getting infected with HIV and HCV. The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network develops actions to prevent these infections inside and outside of prison. PI asked them three questions. Read more

January 21, 2020

“Parodies of justice” in Iraq

Interview

Foreign prisoners Middle East Justice Death penalty Torture Violence Iraq

The Iraqi justice system has some flaws – quick trials, non-existent legal assistance and judgements based on confessions rather than the evidence. Yet several countries have declined to repatriate their citizens who are accused of terrorism, putting them at risk of torture or the death penalty. Read more

December 5, 2019

France: an elusive escape

Interview

Culture Europe Activities France

Natacha Galvez taught art history to inmates at Fleury-Mérogis. She is head of communications for the organisation Art et Prison. She is studying for her doctorate in philosophie esthétique and her thesis is on the creation of art in the prison environment. The following is our interview with her. Read more

October 31, 2019

Uruguay: rethinking the prison system

Interview

South America

It was a risky gamble that paid off for Luis Parodi, director for seven years now of Unit 6 of the Punta de Rieles prison in Montevideo. According to him, “Prison denies debate, and consequently denies life. There are absurd orders all the time.” This unit, which aims to resemble the outside world, stands… Read more

October 24, 2019

Belgium: “complete failure” of the section for radicalised prisoners

Interview

Europe Belgium

Belgium was condemned on 24 April 2019 and will have to compensate several prisoners in the De-Radex section of the Ittre prison. Prisoners suspected to be recruiting members for jihadist organisations are isolated in these sections. Nicolas Cohen is a lawyer at the Brussels Bar and a member of the board… Read more

October 7, 2019

Madagascar: out of sight

Interview

Africa Women Material conditions Activities Social ties Madagascar

Elise Maillot is 30 years old. She has been visiting prisons for the last two years. She was in Madagascar, her home country, at the end of 2018. There, she visited the Manjakandriana prison for women. Prison Insider asked her three questions. Read more

September 24, 2019

France: prisons and mental health

Interview

Europe Health Mental health France

People with mental illness are over represented in the prison population. This group is particularly vulnerable and subjected to violence and abuse. Prison psychiatry is a sector that has undergone significant changes lately, in France and elsewhere. Where do we stand right now? In July 2014, Adeline… Read more

September 24, 2019

Kosovo: “corruption cases have destroyed the prison system”

Interview

Kosovo is a small country of about 11,000 km². It has 12 prisons and 1,648 prisoners, according to the last published figures. The Kosova Rehabilitation Centre for Torture Victims (KRCT) monitors and visits prisons to defend and promote human rights. Alban Muriqi is a law graduate and a project manager… Read more