Prison Reforms in Mozambique fail to Touch the Ground: Assessing the experience of pre-trial detainees in Maputo

Abstract

This article presents the findings of research on pre-trial detention in the Mozambique capital city Maputo. Conditions of detention and access to legal representation of a group of pre-trial detainees are analysed within the context of development of the prison system in Mozambique. The research shows that while progress has been made at the legal and institutional level of the prison system, reforms have yet to impact on pre-trial detainees’ lives.