The UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture (SPT) warned on Thursday May 28 of the “serious” prison overcrowding in France, which “violates the fundamental rights of detainees” and “could constitute inhuman or degrading treatment”.
These experts visited France for the first time from May 17 to 23 to assess detention conditions there. “Prison overcrowding is one of the most pressing challenges observed during this visit. It directly undermines the fundamental rights of detainees,” said Suzanne Jabbour, head of the delegation, in a press release.
French prisons had 88,145 inmates on April 1, 2026, a new record in a context of chronic prison overcrowding. “In some of the establishments visited, the conditions observed may constitute inhuman or degrading treatment under international law. France must take structural and lasting measures to remedy this,” said Suzanne Jabbour.
The Subcommittee is made up of 25 “independent and impartial” experts from diverse backgrounds and many regions of the world, according to the UN. Members are elected by States Parties to the Optional Protocol for a four-year term, renewable once.
“Severe prison overcrowding”
The delegation, made up of four representatives of the subcommittee and two representatives of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, visited 18 places of deprivation of liberty. At the end of its visit, the delegation shared its preliminary observations and recommendations to the authorities.
The SPT will send France a complete confidential report containing its observations and recommendations, and encourages France to authorize its publication in order to facilitate their implementation.
In its press release, the subcommittee already urges France to urgently take structural measures to remedy the “serious prison overcrowding”, warning that the conditions in certain establishments visited could constitute a violation of the fundamental rights of people deprived of their liberty.
“We salute the work of the General Controller of Places of Deprivation of Liberty (CGLPL) as France’s national prevention mechanism. Its monitoring and recommendations are essential to strengthen the protection of people deprived of their liberty,” indicated Suzanne Jabbour.
“However, recommendations can only be effective if they lead to concrete actions,” she continued. According to Suzanne Jabbour, the French authorities should put in place “without delay an official mechanism for monitoring the CGLPL recommendations and ensure that they are effectively implemented over time”. “Without a clear commitment from the state, the prevention of torture will remain out of reach,” she added.
