Inmates in overcrowded French prison say heatwave makes conditions 'inhumane'
Summary
Inmates at the overcrowded Villepinte prison near Paris say the recent heatwave has made their living conditions very difficult. A French lawmaker visited the prison and saw prisoners sharing small cells, limited access to showers, and health problems worsened by the heat.Key Facts
- Villepinte prison holds 1,332 inmates but was designed for 703, causing serious overcrowding.
- Many prisoners share small cells of about nine square meters, sometimes three per cell.
- Heatwave in France caused high temperatures that are hard to bear in cramped cells.
- Prisoners have limited showers—only three times a week—due to overcrowding and poor facilities.
- One young prisoner collapsed and had to be taken away in a wheelchair during the visit.
- The UN warned overcrowding in French prisons might violate inmates’ human rights and could be seen as inhumane treatment.
- Some prisoners say slow justice processes increase their time in tough conditions.
- Prison officers also suffer from the heat but watch closely over vulnerable inmates.
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