Brazil

Mass escape after prison riot in Brazil claims 56 lives

Over 100 prisoners are on the loose and 56 have died after two rival drugs gangs ran riot in a Brazilian prison.

4 January 2017

Venezuela

Venezuelan opposition activists freed, but '100 remain imprisoned'

After being held for more than a year on corruption charges, Venezuelan former presidential candidate Manuel Rosales has been released from house arrest.

31 December 2016

Iran

#SaveArash: Hunger strike by Iran activist tops Twitter trending

A jailed Iranian activist on hunger strike in protest at the detention of his writer wife has taken social media by storm.

31 December 2016

Israel

Disgraced ex-Israeli president to be freed from jail

The disgraced former Israeli president, Moshe Katsav is to be freed on parole after serving five years of a seven year jail term for rape.

18 December 2016

United Kingdom

Riot officers regain control of British jail

Police have regained control of one of Britain’s biggest jails hours after a huge riot broke out.

16 December 2016

France

French ex-budget minister Cahuzac is jailed for tax fraud

Former French budget minister Jerome Cahuzac, who led a government crackdown on tax dodgers, was sentenced to three years in jail in Paris on Thursday – for hiding an offshore bank account of his…

8 December 2016

Austria

Austria's asylum seeker crackdown plan 'part of bid to deter migrants'

Austria's government has agreed on a draft law that will fine or jail asylum seekers who lie about their identities to authorities

6 December 2016

Sport

Eto'o could face 10-year prison sentence

Spanish prosecutors are seeking a prison term of more than 10 years for former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o for alleged tax crimes committed when he played for…

24 November 2016

Sport

Spanish court calls for Neymar to serve two years in prison

Spain’s public prosecutor has called for Barcelona soccer player Neymar to be sent to prison for two years for his part in a corruption case over his transfer from Brazilian club Santos to the Liga ch

23 November 2016

Egypt

Egyptian Journalists Union head sentenced to two years in jail

An Egyptian court has sentenced the head of a journalists’ union to two years in prison, a ruling condemned by rights groups.

19 November 2016

Israel

Israel jails a 14-year-old Palestinian for 12 years for double stabbing attack

Israel has jailed a 14-year-old Palestinian for 12 years for the 2015 stabbing of two people in a settlement north of Jerusalem.

7 November 2016

Haiti

More than 170 inmates escape Haiti jail

More than 170 inmates have escaped a jail in Haiti following a mass break out.

23 October 2016

World News

Mass breakout from Sao Paulo psychiatric prison

Prisoners still on the loose following escape from Sao Paulo psychiatric prison

18 October 2016

Brazil

Inmates killed in Brazil prison clashes

Violent clashes at two Brazilian prisons have killed at least 18 inmates.

17 October 2016

Afghanistan

Afghan women imprisoned in elder's homes

Women in Afghanistan are forced to serve time in tribal elder's homes where they are effectively treated as their property

11 October 2016

Brazil

Hundreds still at large following Brazil jail-break

The inmates fled from the Jardinopolis prison, around 160 kilometres northwest of Sao Paulo, Brazil's second city. Officials say they had set fire to several cells in one wing of the prison during a r

30 September 2016

USA

Orange is the new black - pot noodles are the new tobacco

Instant ramen pot noodles are replacing tobacco as currency among prisoners in the United States according to study which blames reduced spending on prison food.

22 August 2016

USA

US reveals plans to phase out private prisons

The US government has announced plans to phase out privately-run prisons after an inquiry found they were less safe and no cheaper than public jails.

18 August 2016

Turkey

Tens of thousands of prisoners freed in Turkey

The government has given no reason for the reform, which is part of a series of measures outlined in two state-of-emergency decrees.

17 August 2016

Turkey

Turkish prosecutors seek jail term for pro-Kurdish party leader Demirtas

Turkish prosecutors are seeking five-year jail sentences for the head of the People’s Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtas and another pro-Kurdish MP Sirri Sureyya…

12 August 2016