Freetown, 19th February 2026– The Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI) has issued a damning report following a monitoring visit to correctional facilities in Freetown, describing conditions as a “catastrophic breakdown of human rights, safety, and basic dignity.”
During the visit on 17th February, CHRDI uncovered widespread violations ranging from unlawful detentions to extreme overcrowding, medical neglect, and collapsing security infrastructure.
The organization documented dozens of cases of individuals held in “safe custody” for more than four years without indictment. According to CHRDI, 76 men and 17 women remain in custody without official records, while 385 men and 36 women are detained beyond legal limits without charges. Many lack legal representation, a direct breach of the Criminal Procedure Act and international human rights standards.
CHRDI also highlighted chronic delays in the justice system. Thirteen inmates are awaiting reserved judgments, while 205 detainees have endured prolonged adjournments dating back to 2016. Among 29 foreign nationals held at the male facility, one died earlier this month, with no explanation provided.
The male correctional facility, built to house 324 inmates, currently holds 1,802 men. Cells designed for one person now cram in up to 13, creating conditions ripe for disease outbreaks.
Access to clean water and food is severely limited, with sanitation facilities described as “deplorable” and “unfit for human living.” At the female facility, CHRDI recorded eight infants aged 0–2 living with their incarcerated mothers.
Medical care is virtually absent. At the male facility, 97 inmates are HIV-positive, 26 have tuberculosis, and 15 were admitted to a makeshift hospital with only 16 beds for over 1,000 prisoners. The female unit has just five beds for more than 200 inmates, with only one nurse often on duty. Mental health care is also neglected, with 11 cases of untreated mental illness recorded.
CHRDI reported that critical security systems, including CCTV cameras and scanners, are non-functional. Staff are exposed to naked electrical cables, while fire extinguishers remain outdated and poorly maintained.
CHRDI has urged the government and Sierra Leone Correctional Service to act immediately by:
- Fast-tracking indictments and releasing those held unlawfully.
- Repairing broken security infrastructure.
- Providing adequate food, clean water, and medical care.
- Implementing reforms to reduce overcrowding and modernize outdated facilities.
“No nation can claim progress if its correctional facilities remain centres of human degradation,” said Abdul M. Fatoma, CHRDI’s Chief Executive. “Justice must be more than a legislative promise; it must be a functional reality for every Sierra Leonean.”
