Prisoners' experience of sanitary conditions in penitentiaries in the Kinshasa city, Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

This study presents an analysis of sanitary conditions in Kinshasa's penitentiary centers, highlighting the challenges faced by prisoners on a daily basis. Focusing on inmates' experiences, the study reveals that they endure extremely degraded living conditions, marked by an unhealthy environment, inadequate nutrition, and lack of appropriate medical care. The aim of this research is to understand and document these conditions of detention, with a view to raising the authorities' awareness of the need for urgent reform of the prison system. It is being carried out using a phenomenological qualitative approach, based on interviews with prisoners. This methodology makes it possible to gather direct, personal testimonies, offering an in-depth view of the suffering experienced. The data collected reveals particularly precarious hygiene conditions, with prisons often unhea lthy and overcrowded, generating unbearable heat. In addition, prisoners are deprived of adequate medical care, leading to untreated illness and deteriorating health. Prisoners also suffer institutional abuse and mistreatment, amplifying the suffering and injustice they endure. Deplorable sanitary conditions, lack of health care and lack of respect for human rights make these prisons a veritable hell for inmates. This study underlines the urgent need for structural reforms to guarantee detention conditions that respect the fundamental rights of prisoners in Kinshasa.