Our mission
Dignity, fair trials, and the truth — for every foreign detainee.
We believe all humans can embrace who they are, can define their future, and can change the world.
About Foreign Prisoners Network
We are Foreign Prisoners Network, an organisation that helps foreign prisoners held under extreme circumstances in pre-trial long remand in Mauritius. The prison system of Mauritius is well known for extreme long remands without any form of trial. The foreign detainees are all detained in the high-security prison of Melrose under extremely difficult circumstances — the only place where foreigners are held separated from the community.
Victims of the drug trade into Mauritius face many years of remand in one of the world's worst prison systems. Enquiring officers delay cases year by year. FSL reports take many years to prove the quality and quantity of the found products, while the IT-unit takes years for its reports as well. Meanwhile, foreign detainees are held in pre-trial detention — periods of extreme long remand that count up to eight years.
The effects for foreign detainees are terrible. Many families abroad suffer from a lack of solid communication and clear information about their loved ones, who in many cases will not come home for the next 25 years. There is no clear humane policy that guarantees dignity on an individual level.
Because the State of Mauritius has signed several human-rights agreements with Amnesty International, the United Nations for Human Rights and Treaties, and the African Commission of Human Rights, we fight to make the international community aware of this situation — and to help the families back home who are waiting years without any case being lodged.
Inside Melrose
Eastern High Security Prison, Melrose
An aerial view of the facility where foreign detainees are held. Explore the key facts of the complex below.
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Melrose prison facility
Our Mission
To provide support and assistance to foreign detainees in Mauritius, who are detained under appalling conditions. We stand up for their rights and guarantee their permanent dignity during their stay in a Mauritian prison.
Our Vision
A clear vision for safeguarding individual human dignity and guaranteeing the agreed human rights between the State of Mauritius and the United Nations, Amnesty International and the African Commission.
Our Goal
Raise international awareness of the conditions in Mauritius prisons and the extreme length of pre-trial remand, and raise funds to finance lawyers and cases for the detainees.
Conditions in Melrose
The main problems of the Mauritius prison system.
No toilet paper
With the same hands detainees receive food, trade it and circulate it — extremely dangerous for the environment and a form of mental torture contradicting the human-rights agreements Mauritius signed.
No warm water
No warm water to shower or clean clothes. The lack of warm water results in more bacteria and disease inside the cells.
No halal or kosher food
Every prisoner should have access based on religion and ethnicity. The system simply disrespects the religions of those held in Melrose.
No education
The lack of an educational facility contributes to long-term brain-power loss. Even self-facilitated learning is prohibited, with harmful consequences for personality and self-reliance.
No daily program
The lack of a daily program results in loneliness, depression and suicidal feelings. Detainees are placed in a concrete unit far from everything and everyone.
Limited communication
Only 4×10 minutes of calls per month, shared with lawyers, with no privacy to discuss the case. This grossly infringes the rights of the defence.
Misconduct by officials is a crime
Have you ever experienced misconduct by CID / ADSU officers in Mauritius?
- — Have you felt your case was mishandled by officers in the CID or ADSU?
- — Were you ever pressured to sign documents that were not accurate?
- — Have you been intimidated or threatened into silence?
- — Have you heard testimony under oath that was not truthful?
We are collecting accounts from citizens, business owners and visitors who believe they have been wronged by police officers. Your experience could make a difference — share it with us in confidence, and with full respect for your privacy. Together, we can help bring the truth to light and work towards greater justice in Mauritius.
Share your storyWe need your support today!
The only thing the prisoners in Mauritius are asking for is dignity. Volunteer, participate, or donate to help detainees and their families waiting years for a trial.