prisons

A survivor of the 1988 mass killings of political prisoners in Iran addressed the UN Human Rights Council, denouncing the Iranian regime directly to Iranian representatives and accusing Tehran of ongoing repression. UN Watch, which promoted the testimony, says Iranian delegates attempted to have the speaker silenced or cut off during his remarks. The speech has drawn wide attention online, with supporters praising his courage and renewing calls for accountability over the prison massacres.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has released a video in which he threatens to kill a senior Hamas figure being held in an Israeli jail. The clip, reported by Al Jazeera, has drawn attention for a sitting minister openly threatening the death of a detained prisoner, with critics likely to see it as inflammatory and a possible violation of legal norms.

Protesters, politicians and TV commentators in Israel have publicly defended soldiers accused of mistreating Palestinian prisoners, with rallies framed around the extreme slogan of a 'right to rape'. The demonstrations follow reports of abuse at Israeli detention facilities, and the level of open support for such treatment from public figures has drawn widespread shock and condemnation internationally.

Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir released a video threatening to kill senior Hamas figure Hassan Salameh, who is being held in an Israeli prison. The statement drew widespread attention, with critics warning it escalates tensions over the treatment of Palestinian prisoners and could jeopardize ceasefire and hostage negotiation efforts. It adds to Ben-Gvir's record of hardline provocations, which have repeatedly strained relations with other governments and drawn condemnation internationally.

Israeli authorities are currently imprisoning 39 Palestinian journalists, according to Palestinian media monitoring groups. Of those, 22 are being held under administrative detention, a practice that allows detention without formal charges or trial for renewable periods. Rights organisations say the figures highlight ongoing pressure on the press in the occupied Palestinian territories, while Israel maintains that its security measures are lawful and necessary.

Diplomatic tensions have emerged between South Korea and Ukraine over the handling of North Korean prisoners of war captured while fighting alongside Russian forces. The dispute centres on the transfer of captured North Korean soldiers, an issue with sensitive implications for Seoul, which has expressed concern over the fate and treatment of its rival's citizens. The rift risks complicating cooperation between Kyiv and Seoul at a time when both face pressure from Russia and North Korea's deepening alliance.

South Korea's presidential office has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of breaking a confidentiality agreement by disclosing that two North Korean prisoners of war had been transferred to South Korea. The dispute puts a strain on the two countries' cooperation and raises questions about the handling of captured North Korean soldiers.

Record summer heat in Italy has pushed temperatures inside hundreds of detention centers past 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius), with prison cells regularly overheating across the peninsula. Citing a New York Times report, commentators are describing the conditions as de facto torture chambers, raising concern about the treatment of inmates during the country's extreme summer temperatures.

Relations between South Korea and Ukraine have deteriorated over the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war captured while fighting alongside Russian forces. South Korea's presidential office criticised Ukraine for refusing to guarantee nondisclosure regarding the POWs, a dispute that has opened a rare public rift between the two governments.

Israeli authorities have released footage showing a Palestinian detainee painting his prison cell while his hands remain handcuffed. The clip has drawn criticism from pro-Palestinian observers, who describe it as further evidence of degrading treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody, amid ongoing scrutiny of detention conditions during the Gaza war.

A rights group says Iran has executed Iraqi nationals convicted of espionage for Israel, without any official announcement of the executions. The report is drawing attention to Iran's treatment of foreign prisoners on espionage charges and to the lack of transparency around death penalty cases in the country. It may also strain ties between Tehran and Baghdad.

Six inmates have died within a single week at a prison in Kano, Nigeria, in what authorities suspect is a cholera outbreak. Health officials are working to confirm the cause and contain the spread of the disease within the facility, which has raised concerns about overcrowding, sanitation and access to medical care for detainees.

South Korea's presidential office has demanded an apology from Ukraine after Kyiv unilaterally disclosed the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war. Seoul said it 'expresses strong regret over Ukraine's unilateral disclosure', indicating the two sides had not agreed on how the sensitive handover of North Korean soldiers captured in the war should be announced. The dispute has drawn attention to how Kyiv handles captured North Korean troops and to the coordination between the two governments.

Federal prosecutors say the owner of a medical clinic defrauded a military health program of millions of dollars, then spent the proceeds on luxury purchases including a gold-plated Cybertruck. The Justice Department announced the case this week, drawing widespread attention for the extravagant spending allegedly funded by stolen taxpayer-backed healthcare funds. Charges and potential prison time were disclosed in the announcement.

Two inmates have died following a cholera outbreak at a custodial centre in Kano, Nigeria. The deaths were reported by Punch Newspapers, which says the outbreak has raised fresh concern about health and sanitation conditions in Nigerian detention facilities. Details on the number of other inmates affected or the response by authorities remain limited, but the report is drawing attention to overcrowding and disease risks in the country's prisons.

Diplomatic tensions have emerged between Ukraine and South Korea over the fate of North Korean prisoners of war captured while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. Kyiv has been reluctant to repatriate them, while Seoul wants them returned, exposing a rift between the two partners at a sensitive point in the war.

Rising temperatures are making prisons dangerously hot, with the temperature inside facilities compared to air fryers as climate change intensifies heat waves. Incarcerated people are particularly vulnerable because many prisons lack air conditioning, raising concerns about heat-related illness and deaths among inmates.

South Korea has formally demanded an apology from Ukraine after Kyiv disclosed information concerning North Korean prisoners of war captured while fighting alongside Russian forces. The dispute centers on Seoul's objection to how the POW information was revealed, reportedly over concerns about the captives' handling and repatriation. The demand underscores growing diplomatic friction between the two countries over the fate of North Korean soldiers captured on the battlefield.

South Korea's presidential office expressed strong regret on Sunday over Ukraine's denial of an agreement with Seoul not to disclose the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea, Yonhap News Agency reported. The dispute centres on whether both sides had agreed to keep the transfer of the POWs confidential, with Kyiv disputing Seoul's account of the arrangement.

South Korea has formally demanded an apology from Ukraine after Kyiv disclosed information about North Korean prisoners of war captured while fighting alongside Russian forces. The dispute centres on the handling of details concerning the captured soldiers, which Seoul considers sensitive. The diplomatic friction highlights tensions between the two countries over how to manage information about North Korea's military involvement in the war in Ukraine.