Overview

• Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin announced the cessation of prison recreational activities unrelated to education, language learning, or sports, following controversy over spa treatments for inmates in Toulouse-Seysses.
• A coalition of 31 organizations, including the Observatoire International des Prisons and the Ligue des Droits de l’Homme, criticized the decision as 'pure demagogy' and a step away from rehabilitation-focused incarceration policies.
• Critics argue that these activities play a vital role in fostering self-esteem, social reintegration, and psychological balance for inmates, while also aiding prison management by reducing tensions.
• The suspension of these activities has already been implemented in some facilities, despite the absence of an official circular formalizing the policy.
• Advocates have called on the minister to address systemic issues like prison overcrowding and poor living conditions, which they describe as the real crises within the French penal system.