For two years, the family of a soldier in the DRC army could not trace him until they discovered that he had been imprisoned – not for doing anything wrong but because he had a mental illness.

The United Nations has called on authorities in the Central African Republic to guarantee human rights in prisons, where torture and malnutrition are common, said a report published Thursday.

Investigating deaths in prisons is an essential part of a state’s human rights responsibilities, including the obligation to guarantee the right to life and the prohibition of torture.

States must be “primary responders” in torture cases, to end impunity and bring justice on behalf of victims, a UN independent expert told the Human Rights Council

Torture in any form, is absolutely unacceptable and can never be justified, top United Nations officials say, urging great support for victims worldwide.

Prisoners and those working in prisons are particularly vulnerable to any form of health emergency situation.

Global Prison Challenges Programme bolsters up the work of UNODC in the field of criminal justice reform.

Countries with the largest number of prisoners per 100,000 of the national population, as of January 2023.