The European Prison Observatory has issued the sixth COVID-19 update on prisons in Europe. It covers updates on implementation of COVID-19-related public health measures in prisons of Albania, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.   

The European Prison Observatory reports on the increase in infections in prisons inmost surveyed countries, including 103 inmates and 269 staff in France. Before the COVID-19 lockdown, France counted more than 72,000 prisoners for a prison capacity of around 61,000, which means an all-time occupancy rate record of 119%. A month later, the prison system authority has stated that emergency measures have reduced the prison population by around 10,000 people. Other countries such as Portugal, Italy and United Kingdom also report releases of prisoners and lower number of new detainees. 

Denmark will start to ease public health restrictions by allowing some prisoners to receive family visits form the 18th of May.  

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