The Congolese government has stopped new admissions to Makala central prison through the Ministry of Justice, Radio Okapi reported. Only exceptional waivers will let new detainees in. Officials describe the ban as temporary.
The numbers explain why. Makala was built for 1,500 people. According to the Justice Ministry, it now holds more than 16,000. Authorities say security, health and humanitarian concerns over detention conditions drove the decision.
Makala is not alone. Radio Okapi said other prisons across the country face the same chronic overcrowding.
Two rights groups welcomed the move: the African Association for the Defence of Human Rights (ASADHO) and the Bill Clinton Foundation for Peace (FBCP). But they warned it would not solve the problem for good. Both called for deeper reforms. These include tighter oversight of the judiciary, the closure of secret detention cells and a lasting plan to ease prison congestion.