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
Ivory Coast: 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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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USA: “the darkness suffocates me at all time”
Testimonial
LGBTI
Violence
Social ties
United States
Britney is incarcerated at Lane Murray Unit, a state prison located in Texas. She tells us how a typical day goes by.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Comoros: “The walls are crumbling by themselves”
Testimonial
Africa
Minors
Overcrowding
Violence
Comoros
Chamoun was incarcerated at Moroni Prison in Comoros. He tells us about the dilapidation, the starvation, the debauchery, and the violence.
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Burkina Faso: Humiliation of LGBTQI+ Prisoners
Testimonial
Africa
LGBTI
Material conditions
Torture
Violence
Burkina Faso
LGBTQI+ prisoners are sometimes deprived of food and water while incarcerated.
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Roland: “Great. This again.”
Testimonial
Coronavirus
Health
Facilities
Rehabilitation
France
Roland was imprisoned for a total of 28 years. Is the lockdown a second imprisonment? Prison Insider has brought out six narratives of former prisoners. Six perspectives on the lockdown and imprisonment.
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Rejection of LGBTQI+ people in Burkina Faso
Testimonial
Africa
Pre-trial detention
LGBTI
Material conditions
Overcrowding
Violence
Burkina Faso
Karel tells us about detention conditions in Ouagadougou’s central police station and the treatment of incarcerated LGBTQI+ individuals.
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Niger: the cost of living
Testimonial
Africa
Pre-trial detention
Health
Material conditions
Facilities
Overcrowding
Violence
Niger
Two prisoners attest to their conditions in overpopulated prisons. A way to survive: pay, every month, for access to better prison conditions.
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Culture
Europe
Long-term prisoners
Activities
United Kingdom
“Being encased within steel and mortar shouldn’t alter the fundamental essence of a human being. Amid the brutality and apathy of the prison system, some find the ability to be creative” (Steeldoorstudios exposes the challenges of the creative process in prison.)
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