Conakry central prison
 Journalists in front of the prison upon the announcement of the liberation of political prisoners in September 2021. | |
  Conakry central prison Location in Guinea | |
| Coordinates | 9°30′49″N 13°42′19″W / 9.51361°N 13.70528°W |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 300[1] |
| Population | 1,140-2,000 (as of 2014-2020,[2][3][4]) |
| City | Conakry |
| Country |  Guinea |
Conakry central prison (French: Maison Centrale de Conakry) is a prison in Guinea located in the capital Conakry, in the commune of Kaloum.
History
[edit]Built during the colonial period, the establishment has, since 1984, been under the governance of the Ministry of Justice of Guinea.[5]
After the 2021 Guinean coup d'état on 5 September, the National Committee of Reconciliation and Development freed 79 political prisoners.[6]
The prison was raided on 4 November 2023, resulting in the brief escape of former military ruler Moussa Dadis Camara, who was being held for his role in the brutal suppression of the 2009 Guinean protests.[7]
- Celebrations upon the announcement of the liberation of prisoners in front of the central prison
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Infrastructure
[edit]The Conakry central prison consists of three main buildings: one for convicts, one for defendants and the main hall.[5]
Conditions
[edit]The prison was designed to hold 300 people. However in 2021, Amnesty International reported the prison held almost 2000 detainees,[4] while, in its 2023 report, the US Department of State described conditions as overcrowded.[1]
Prominent prisoners
[edit]Among those who have been imprisoned in the Conakry central prison include:
- Amadou Damaro Camara, former president of the National Assembly
- Ibrahima Kassory Fofana former prime minister (6 April 2022 - )
- Diakaria Koulibaly former minister (6 April 2022- )
References
[edit]- ^ a b "2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Guinea". www.state.gov. United States Department of State. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
... as of September 7, the Conakry Central Prison held 1,719 prisoners in a facility designed for 300.
- ^ Rapport sur la situation des droits de l'homme dans les lieux de détention en République de Guinée (PDF). www.ohchr.org (Report) (in French). BUREAU DU HAUT-COMMISSARIAT DES NATIONS UNIES AUX DROITS DE L’HOMME EN GUINEE. October 2014. p. 11. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Offner, Fabien (2 February 2021). "Guinée. Morts en détention et prison ferme pour des opposants" [Guinea: Deaths in detention and prison sentence for opponents]. www.amnesty.org (in French). Amnesty International. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ a b Offner, Fabien (2 February 2021). "Guinea: Deaths in detention and prison sentence for opposition members". www.amnesty.org. Amnesty International. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
- ^ a b Rapport sur l'état des lieux de la Maison Centrale de Conakry – Quartier de mineurs – juin-juillet 2011 (PDF). www.tdh.ch (Report) (in French). Terre Des Hommes. August 2011. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ "Coup d'État en Guinée : des prisonniers politiques libérés et accueillis par une liesse populaire". Les Observateurs - France 24 (in French). 2021-09-08. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
- ^ "Guinea's former dictator Camara recaptured hours after jailbreak". France 24. 2023-11-04. Retrieved 2023-11-20.