In this thread
Someone mentions that French prisons are pretty miserable. I have heard that statement before from other sources (I can’t remember them, just statements I’ve read over the years).
Over in this article, Vladimir Putin used abuses in French prisons as a way to distract from Russian human rights abuses, claiming nations like France should look at themselves rather than criticizing Russia.
France seems like a pretty egalitarian, human rights friendly country. Why would their prisons be miserable? Not even US prisons seem to have these problems (at least my impression is reforms over the last few decades tried to put a stop to these kinds of things like unaccountable guard violence, widespread rape, guard culpability in criminality, etc).
The book, Médecin-chef à la Prison de la Santé, was written by Dr Véronique Vasseur, who has worked in the Santé prison for seven years, the last six as head physician.
She found the cells filthy and infested with rats and mice and the mattresses so teeming with lice and other insects that inmates collected them in jars to protest.
Drug dealing was rampant, with some guards also being involved. Rape was frequent, as were self mutilations, suicides, and attempted suicides.
Guards beat up prisoners, and seasoned inmates turned weaker ones into slaves, who did not dare complain for fear of reprisals.
Food was often spoiled and gastroenteritis epidemics were frequent. Dr Vasseur even identified a disease known only in wartime—bread scabies, caused by mouldy bread.
The book has caused an uproar and triggered investigations by the press. Some of France’s notorious former prisoners, including former ministers and top business executives, have been interviewed and have signed a petition deploring prison conditions.