In a case brought by two associations, the Conseil d’État's urgent applications judge today ordered La Talaudière Prison (Saint-Étienne) to take seven measures within a very short time frame, to improve living conditions for prisoners. These measures are in addition to two measures ordered by Lyon Administrative Court's urgent applications judge. They also complement the actions, taken by the prison itself since the case was lodged, to reduce fire and electrical hazards, and improve hygiene, sanitation and daily living conditions.
La Talaudière Prison in Saint-Étienne has received two in-depth visits (in 2012 and 2019) from the Contrôleur général des lieux privatifs de liberté [French Inspector-General of Custodial Facilities]. It has also been visited twice (in 2022 and 2023) by Ms. Andrée Taurinya, Member of Parliament for the Loire Department. Both denounced the detention conditions. After bringing the case before Lyon Administrative Court of Appeal, the French section of the International Prison Observatory and the Association of Lawyers for the Defence of Prisoners' Rights asked Lyon Administrative Court of Appeal’s urgent applications judge, and then the Conseil d’État's urgent applications judge, to order the prison administration to take a certain number of measures to improve living conditions for prisoners in La Talaudière Prison. This case was considered on 3 May during a 3-hour hearing in the presence of the associations and the administration, followed by an extension of the inquiry so that the administration could provide additional documents.
The prison has taken action to improve detention conditions...
The urgent applications judge noted that, since the case was filed, the prison administration had initiated several actions requested by the associations. It had also implemented the two measures ordered by Lyon's urgent applications judge, i.e. a regular supply of cleaning kits for detainees to use in their cells, and compliance with lightning protection recommendations. It had also taken measures to improve prisoners’ safety (fire risk prevention, replacement of dangerous equipment and repair of bare wires in a ceiling light), hygiene (distribution of hygiene kits, daily access to showers for menstruating women), sanitation (cleaning and repair of the waiting and consultation rooms in the sanitary block) and day-to-day living conditions (modification of a narrow partition in the sanitary facilities, and telephone repairs).
The judge also noted that three major works had been undertaken by the prison administration: roof repairs, gradual renovation of cells, and renovation of some exercise yards.
... but the Judge ordered 7 additional measures
In addition to the measures already taken, the Conseil d’État's urgent applications judge today orders seven additional measures to be implemented within a very short time frame. These are to improve hygiene on the premises (cleaning showers and an exercise yard, increasing the pumping capacity on the roofs in the event of rain); improve human dignity (partitioning of toilets, installation of shelters and rest facilities in the exercise yards) and increase safety (electrical installation testing by a technical inspection agency, and a visit from the Saint-Etienne district's safety commission).
Read the decision (in French)