A UK probation union has declared no confidence in management due to excessive workloads, warning of direct public risk. Industrial action is threatened unless support and pay increase, as plans expand electronic tagging for 40,000 ex-offenders.
NSW Ombudsman criticizes Corrective Services NSW for unlawful 24/7 cell confinement of protective custody inmates for up to three months. The report highlights failures in planning and record-keeping, impacting multiple correctional centers.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko stated he is open to a meeting with US President Donald Trump in the coming months. Lukashenko mentioned potential topics for discussion include embassy issues, economic and financial matters, and prisoner releases, suggesting they should be addressed as a package.
Former political prisoners in Myanmar recount systematic torture, sexual abuse, and neglect in prisons, including invasive strip-searches and threats of rape. Despite recent amnesties and political changes, activists like Thazin and Ma Khaing state abuses continue, with many still detained.
A US federal appeals court has ordered further review of Alabama's use of nitrogen gas for executions, citing concerns over its constitutionality under the ban on cruel and unusual punishment, potentially impacting a scheduled execution.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun accuses Iran of leveraging Lebanon in negotiations with the US.
The Israeli Supreme Court has overturned a ban preventing the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from visiting Palestinian prisoners. The court found the government lacked sufficient legal grounds for the blanket prohibition, imposed after the October 7th Hamas attack. The ICRC welcomed the decision, emphasizing its commitment to international humanitarian law.
Iranian writer Hamid Asefi and others report severe beatings, torture, and deaths in custody following arrests amid a wider crackdown. Detainees describe physical abuse, starvation, mock executions, and sexual assault, with rights groups documenting widespread ill-treatment.
Helen Spree, 63, head of HMP Liverpool's independent monitoring board, was jailed for over five years for misconduct, smuggling drugs, and sending sexual messages to inmates, including killer Dylan Westall.
A court in the Nizhny Novgorod region sentenced three prisoners to 8 years and 2 months to 10.5 years in a special regime colony for attempting to escape, engaging in religious extremism, and disrupting prison operations. The convicts were part of a banned extremist group and planned an escape using prohibited items.
Ukrainian prosecutor general reveals draft officers added dead, convicts, and ineligible individuals to mobilization database to meet targets, amid manpower shortages and public anger over forced conscription.
During a summit, Donald Trump discussed the cases of Christian pastor Ezra Jin Mingri and media mogul Jimmy Lai with China's Xi Jinping. While Xi indicated consideration for the pastor's release, Lai's case was deemed 'tough.' Families expressed gratitude for Trump's support, but no further developments have been announced.
Inmates at Venezuela's Injuba prison clashed with security forces and burned mattresses in protest against alleged mistreatment. The Venezuelan Prison Observatory (OVP) reported the incident, highlighting ongoing concerns about poor prison conditions and demanding the resignation of officials.
Venezuela's opposition is demanding the release of political prisoners and calling for elections after a promised release failed to occur. Opponents are targeting the U.S.-backed interim government.
Inmates at Barinas prison in Venezuela protested on the roof, setting mattresses ablaze and demanding the removal of the director. They accused guards of shooting unarmed prisoners, with one inmate seen with a bullet wound. Families clashed with National Guard outside.
Inmates at Barinas prison in Venezuela protested on the roof, setting mattresses on fire and demanding the director's removal. They accuse guards of shooting unarmed prisoners, with one man seen with a bullet wound. Families clashed with National Guard outside.
Hezbollah will retain weapons to defend Lebanon against Israeli aggression, stated Secretary-General Naim Qassem. He criticized Israel's actions, urged withdrawal and prisoner release, and called on the Lebanese government to reject disarmament and preserve sovereignty.
A report by QMUL and Defend Our Juries claims the UK is creating 'new political prisoners' by jailing climate and Palestine activists. The study highlights increased anti-protest laws, lengthy sentences, and the use of civil injunctions leading to custodial sentences.
A jury has been discharged due to legal reasons in the trial of two prisoners accused of murdering disgraced former Lostprophets singer Ian Watkins. Rico Gedel and Samuel Dodsworth deny murder and possessing a makeshift knife. A retrial will be scheduled.
Venezuelan Parliament President Jorge Rodríguez announced the release of 300 political prisoners by the end of the week, calling it a unilateral gesture from the government. The beneficiaries include vulnerable individuals, and the releases are based on humanitarian grounds, not a previous amnesty law.
The ICRC warns that disclosing POW identities violates the Geneva Conventions and endangers prisoners and their families. ICRC head David Quesne highlighted concerns over North Korean soldiers captured in Ukraine and the growing disregard for international humanitarian law in global conflicts.
Iran has seen a surge in executions of political prisoners since the start of the war, with at least 32 verified by the UN. Activists accuse the regime of using the death penalty to suppress dissent and restore authority.
Russia and Ukraine exchanged 205 prisoners of war on Friday, following a short-lived ceasefire. The swap occurred as rescue efforts concluded in Kyiv, where 24 people, including three girls, were killed in a Russian missile strike on an apartment block. Ukrainian drones also struck Russia's Ryazan, killing four, including a child.
A Seoul court ruled Kim Jong-un must pay 105 million won in damages to 5 former South Korean POWs held in North Korea for decades, the third such ruling against Pyongyang.
