Overview
Over 1 million prisoners in Europe and Central Asia are locked away and forgotten.
Prison Fellowship International currently operates within 27 countries throughout Europe and Central Asia. The region, which stretches from Portugal, across Europe and into the Russian Federation, represents a complex tapestry of ethnicities, cultures, and subcultures.
Here, atheism and pluralism have emerged as dominant against the fading backdrop of Judeo-Christian tradition. Even among the most developed countries in this region, standards for prisoner care often begin and end with humane physical treatment in compliance with international law, while spiritual needs are neglected. In poorer areas, justice systems often fail to achieve even basic standards, and prisoners are exposed to harsh living conditions while their families and victims’ experiences ostracization and disadvantage.
