In several detention centers, a large portion of inmates no longer receive any support from their families. “More than half of the prisoners are abandoned. This phenomenon generally intensifies when the prison sentence is too long. To survive, these isolated prisoners depend exclusively on cassava, which is the daily meal provided by the State, as well as donations from various organizations,” according to a penitentiary source. This destitution even extends to basic hygiene products, which they are completely deprived of.
Faced with this situation, various associations are intervening to compensate for the lack of resources among these inmates to meet their vital needs. On June 23, the organization Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT) Madagascar, which works to improve detention conditions, visited inmates in the prisons of Mahajanga, Antanimora, Antsirabe, and Toamasina as part of the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. With the support of their financial partners, they provided hygiene and cleaning products, disinfectant, sports equipment, and medicines, including supplements, to the prisoners.
Their action is not limited to material aid.
“We visit them once or twice a month for listening sessions. We receive forty people during each visit. They are then referred to a designated lawyer who ensures follow-up,” explained Laure Rabetokotany, an official at ACAT Madagascar.
Miangaly Ralitera
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-02 07:42:51 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/univers-carceral-des-detenus-survivent.html