Search Results for: prison overcrowding

The UN Human Rights Office on Friday urged Sri Lankan authorities to conduct a prompt, independent, and transparent investigation into recent incidents of prison violence following deadly clashes and allegations of torture involving transferred inmates. UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani called for accountability after violence erupted at Negombo Prison on July 5, leaving [...]

UNICEF published a statement Thursday expressing deep concern with the detention of children in Iran amid ongoing public unrest. The statement, by UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa, Edouard Beigbeder, stresses several key issues. First, the number of child detainees, and conditions they face, have not been available. Secondly, Beigbeder detailed the [...]

Indonesia enacted its new penal code on Friday, replacing colonial-era laws that had governed the country for over a century. Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra described the move as a historic milestone that marks the beginning of a new era in Indonesia’s legal system. The legal reform implements [...]

It was a cold case. Fifty-four-year-old Esther Williams was found dead at her home on April 28, 2014, in Cumuto, Trinidad. Her common-law husband and daughter, Sewak Jagroo and Shastri Jagroo, told police that they had discovered Williams’ body hanging, indicating that she had taken her own life. However, a post-mortem examination revealed that Williams’ [...]

The UN Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture (SPT) expressed concern Friday after visiting Peru, where it observed serious issues, such as prison overcrowding and lengthy pretrial detention. It also noted a controversial new law that treats 16- and 17-year-old juveniles as adults within the penal system. The Congress of the Republic of Peru recently [...]

The UN International Independent Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement on Wednesday urged Belgium to tackle the issue of ongoing systemic racism against Africans and people of African descent. Experts in the independent organization stated that systemic racism continues to torment Africans and people of African descent in the form [...]

The Constitutional Court of Peru (TC) approved on Wednesday a five-year extension for reducing overcrowding of the nation’s prisons. The resolution, issued in 2020 and set to expire on Tuesday, was extended due to complaints from Congress. The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights cited a lack of funding, attributing it to the economic impact [...]

The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) raised  serious concerns Thursday about prison conditions and psychiatric care practices across Europe. The 34th General Report highlights issues pertaining to prison overcrowding, the continued influence of informal prisoner hierarchies, and the excessive use of pharmacological treatments [...]

Hundreds of citizens gathered outside the Krome Detention Center in Miami on Saturday to protest overcrowding and reports of detainees lacking necessities. Protesters voiced opposition to President Trump’s aggressive deportation strategy and called out US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for its role in the crisis. Outrage intensified after reports revealed severe mistreatment of detainees [...]

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) alleged that Thailand has consistently violated prisoners’ right to health under international law, in a report submitted Monday to the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health. Prior to her country visit to Thailand, Special Rapporteur on the right to health Tlaleng Mofokeng called for input on [...]