French Courts Demand Urgent Reforms in Overcrowded and Unsanitary Prisons

Judges order immediate action to address inhumane conditions in Limoges and Saint-Martin-de-Ré facilities, citing severe rights violations.

The administrative courts in Limoges and Poitiers have ruled that the conditions in two French prisons violate human dignity, mandating urgent reforms.
The Limoges prison, operating at 195% capacity, suffers from overcrowding, broken windows, bedbug infestations, and insufficient hygiene facilities.
Authorities have been ordered to provide additional blankets, distribute hygiene kits, and install privacy partitions for toilets in cells at Limoges prison.
At Saint-Martin-de-Ré, France’s largest prison, detainees reported chronic unsanitary conditions, prompting court orders to address cockroach infestations and improve shower water temperatures.
Human rights groups, including the Observatoire International des Prisons, have praised the rulings as critical steps to uphold fundamental rights in French detention facilities.