The General Controller of Places of Deprivation of Liberty (CGLPL) points to “systemic violence” within the high security prison of Condé-sur-Sarthe (Orne), which has a district to combat organized crime (QLCO) according to a report published Thursday July 9, 2026.
“It appears from the findings made and the testimonies received – both from detainees and from professionals and stakeholders – that systemic violence is committed against detainees by members of the prison staff,” estimates the CGLPL in this severe report, whose “urgent recommendations” were sent on June 9 to the Minister of Justice.
In a letter from Gérald Darmanin addressed on Wednesday to Dominique Simonnot, the Minister of Justice indicates that “to date, no interim release, no appeal for unworthy conditions of detention, nor any criminal complaint” has made it possible to “notate a proven attack on the fundamental rights of those detained” within the establishment. The minister responds point by point to the criticisms issued Thursday by the Prison Controller, ensuring “compliance with legal, ethical and security requirements” within the QLCO.
An ultra-secure neighborhood under surveillance
The General Controller carried out a visit from May 4 to 7 with a team of six controllers. In this report, a prison system consisting of bullying, violence, humiliation and abuse of power is described in this prison, particularly at the QLCO. At the time of the inspection, 38 people were incarcerated in this ultra-secure neighborhood created in the fall of 2025 after the law against drug trafficking and with a capacity of 40 places.
The agents of the QLCO, but also of the isolation unit or the local prison security team (ELSP), are permanently hooded, which does not allow prisoners to “identify the agents at fault”, thus creating a “feeling of impunity”, notes this document in particular. Thus, the methods of carrying out the searches “are humiliating or brutal”, which “sometimes give rise to touching of the buttocks and genitals of the detainees”.
Certain practices of supervisors reflect “a logic of intimidation and abuse of power. From 7:00 a.m., starting duty can be accompanied by shouts in the corridors, knocks on the doors, aggressive calls or insults. Disembodied keywords are thrown at the inmates: “Parlour”, “Window”, “Promenade”…” the report continues. At night, certain peephole checks serve as a “pretext” for voluntary awakenings by “turning on the light, kicking in the door or injunctions addressed to the occupants of the cells”.
“Attack on dignity”
In addition, placements in the disciplinary unit “are accompanied by comments and attitudes of supervisors who deliberately trigger incidents which sometimes result in violent acts”, points out the report.
“Several corroborating testimonies have reported a practice consisting of placing meal items in a basket held high up, challenging the inmate to grab it without touching the basket, under penalty of not receiving food and suffering violence,” denounces the report from the CGLPL, an independent administrative authority responsible for defending fundamental rights in prisons.
“By their nature and their accumulation, these facts seriously undermine the dignity of those detained and are likely to fall under Article 3 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights”, relating to the prohibition of torture. “They must stop immediately,” reprimands the CGLPL. She asks the prison administration for an inspection which should “clarify the responsibilities of each person in the actions observed” and “prevent their recurrence”.
An internal control and evaluation mission of the doctrine relating to QLCOs plans a trip to Condé-sur-Sarthe “from the summer of 2026”, indicated Gérald Darmanin in his letter. These recommendations come while an investigation is “in progress” into violence by a person holding public authority after the complaint of six detainees from Condé-sur-Sarthe, according to Alençon prosecutor Gwenaelle Coto.
These inmates accuse the management and teams of Condé-sur-Sarthe of deliberately “humiliating” and “dehumanizing” the people incarcerated at the QLCO, in order to break their resistance, according to the complaint. The objective of QLCOs is to isolate detainees perceived by the authorities to be high-ranking in organized crime, according to a strict detention regime inspired by the fight against mafia in Italy.
