Testimonials
Testimonials
Prison Insider invites witnesses to shout out, to describe their sadness and share their joys. We invite stories of resistance and want to provide a space where the silent voices of prisoners can be heard
South Africa: resonating stories
Testimonial
Africa
Access to legal rights
Material conditions
Facilities
Activities
South Africa
Five former prisoners share their experiences in South African prisons. Incarcerated for different lengths of time, at different periods and in different facilities, these diverse perspectives highlight the challenges faced by prisoners in South Africa.
Canada: close to ordinary violence
Testimonial
North America
Mental health
Violence
Social ties
Canada
Olivia* supports a close schizophrenic friend through his life sentence. She recounts the time spent helping him and understanding his illness. She reveals the shortcomings of the penal system as well as the violence perpetrated by prison staff.
Panama: fighting for my life
Testimonial
Central America and the Caribbean
Women
Health
Material conditions
Social ties
Panama
Yonta J. was incarcerated in a Panamanian prison for three years, from March 2015 to January 2018. She faced hardships that still impact her life today. This is the story of her daily life in prison.
Canada: camping holidays near the prison
Testimonial
France: spectating life on the outside
Testimonial
Europe
Social ties
Rehabilitation
France
Ryan* was incarcerated at Fresnes in April 2019. He stayed there for fourteen months. He speaks about being arrested right in front of his daughter, who was four years old at the time, the sadness of visits, and the difficulty of being far away, of feeling powerless and useless.
Madagascar: "everything is heavy and dark here"
Testimonial
Africa
Discipline
Material conditions
Overcrowding
Madagascar
Paul Rafanoharana Maillot writes to us from Tsiafahy prison, a facility notorious for its overcrowding and inhumane conditions. He has been incarcerated since 4 August 2021 and is being kept in solitary confinement. He tells us about the “prison within the prison”.
France: "It's a topsy-turvy world"
Testimonial
Côte d'Ivoire: the price of freedom
Testimonial
Africa
Justice
Material conditions
Social ties
Côte d’Ivoire
David D. was imprisoned in the Abidjan prison (MACA) for 29 months, and he is still awaiting trial. This is a testimony of an arbitrary detention, amidst uncertainty and corruption.
Lebanon: using theatre as therapy in prison
Testimonial
Culture
Women
Middle East
Mental health
Activities
Lebanon
Theatre comes to Lebanese prisons. Catharsis is an organisation that offers drama therapy workshops in prisons. Its director Zeina Daccache produced documentaries about three such projects that took place in prisons.
UK: finding an outlet
Testimonial
France: everyday madness
Testimonial
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.
France: in search of meaning
Testimonial
Women
Europe
Activities
Social ties
Religion
France
Sakina is a Muslim chaplain in prison. She guides female prisoners in their religious practice. Ramadan, daily organiszation, work on self-esteem… She tells us all about it
Algeria: a month (almost) like any other
Testimonial
Africa
Material conditions
Torture
Religion
Algeria
Rachid M. was imprisoned in El-Harrach and then Tizi Ouzou between 1996 and 1999. He tells us about conditions in prison, visits and Ramadan.
LGBTQI
Violence
Social ties
United States
Xandan is incarcerated at Lane Murray Unit, a state prison located in Texas. He tells us how a typical day goes by.
United States: meeting my hero
Testimonial
Sunny Jacobs: Life Outside
Testimonial
North America
Death penalty
Social ties
Rehabilitation
Work
United States
How is life after release? Sunny Jacobs was sentenced to death and spent seventeen years in detention for a crime she did not commit. She tells Prison Insider about the many challenges one faces upon release. She now works actively towards the abolition of the death penalty.
Sunny Jacobs: Life Beyond
Testimonial
North America
Mental health
Death penalty
Religion
United States
How can you escape prison with your mind? Sunny Jacobs was sentenced to death and spent seventeen years in detention for a crime she did not commit. She tells Prison Insider how yoga, meditation and prayer helped her find freedom behind prison walls.
Sunny Jacobs: Life Inside
Testimonial
North America
Mental health
Material conditions
Death penalty
Activities
United States
What is daily life on death row like? Sunny Jacobs was sentenced to death and spent seventeen years in detention for a crime she did not commit. She tells Prison Insider about her detention conditions and the burden of complete isolation.