DR Congo Frees 420 Prisoners Amid Overcrowding Outcry

The Democratic Republic of Congo released 420 prisoners from its largest and most overcrowded prison, after images of dire conditions posted to social media by a recently freed journalist sparked widespread outcry.

Makala prison, officially known as the Centre pénitentiaire et de rééducation de Kinshasa (CPRK), was built in 1957 to house 1,500 inmates. It now holds around 15,000, with the vast majority in pre-trial detention, according to prison rights activist Emmanuel Cole.

"What we're doing is looking at the extent to which we can drastically reduce the overcrowding, enabling us to completely refurbish the prison, while at the same time building another prison," Cole said during a tour of the facility.

That release came weeks after formally-detained journalist, Stanis Bujakera, shared images of overcrowding and poor living conditions inside the facility on his X account. Bujakera, who works for international media, was released in March after being held for six months on charges of spreading false information.

Cellphone footage captured by Bujakera during his time in detention showed emaciated prisoners sleeping on floors of crowded cells and hallways, while others were seen drinking water directly from buckets near a well.

The overcrowding has led to dire health conditions. In early 2023, 66 inmates died in just two months due to malnutrition, suffocation, and lack of medical care, Cole said.

"The prisoners die every day. The people suffer here like you have no idea," said Jeff, a prisoner who has been detained without trial for a year.

The release of the 420 prisoners is part of the government's efforts to address the overcrowding crisis. However, critics argue that more systemic changes are needed in Congo's judicial system to prevent prolonged pretrial detentions.