French court condemns state for inhuman treatment of prisoners

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - ​​​​​​​An administrative court in France’s southern city of Montpellier has condemned the state for the inhuman and degrading treatment of convicts held in Perpignan prison, local media reported.

The court’s ruling said that conditions at the prison violated the detainees’ rights and they are being subjected to ill-treatment by the guards, local news agency France Bleu said Wednesday.

The news outlet also reported that a recent general inspectorate report submitted to the court showed the occupancy rate at the prison is 280% for men and that more than 300 detainees share around 130 beds.

“Some sleep on mattresses on the floor, with no room to move around -- mattresses infested with bed bugs. Mold is visible everywhere, on the walls and in the toilets, which are sometimes clogged,” it said, adding there were broken windows and the electrical network was defective, causing a fire risk to the prisoners.

The court ordered state authorities to ensure the dormitories were repaired and improved, fire threats were eliminated, and investigations were launched against wardens for abusing and humiliating the prisoners.