Human rights groups warn of inhumane prison conditions in North Kivu

Human rights organizations and civil society groups are raising alarms regarding inhumane detention conditions in prisons within the North Kivu region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In Butembo, the Human Rights Network (REDHO) reported that the Kakwangura urban prison is severely overcrowded, housing 1,359 detainees. The report highlights that 246 inmates are malnourished and notes that the state has failed to pay subsidies intended for food and medical care. REDHO has called for the acceleration of judicial proceedings and the construction of a facility that meets standard norms.

Similarly, in Beni, the urban coordination of civil society has warned of a life-threatening situation at Kangbayi prison. The facility, designed for 250 people, is currently holding over 2,350 inmates. Authorities are being urged to intervene immediately due to empty food stocks and critical sanitary issues, with local groups warning that without urgent action, many lives are at risk.