Francis KONE, IVORY COAST

“I want to improve criminal justice by fighting against abusive and unjustified pre-trial detention, by providing training on international law, by monitoring detention facilities, and by advocating for the respect of the fundamental rights of detainees.”

About Francis

Mr. Francis Kone holds a certificate in international humanitarian law, a degree from the School of Business at Abidjan University, and a certificate from the Equitas International Human Rights Training Program. He is currently working as a project coordinator for the organization Christian Action for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT) in Côte d’Ivoire, in partnership with the International Federation of ACAT (FIACAT). He is also the coordinator of the Documentation and Observation Commission at the Ivorian Coalition for the International Criminal Court.

The Challenge

Francis has identified prison overcrowding as a root cause of mistreatment in prisons, compounded by issues related to hygiene, health, and nutrition. Overcrowding is directly linked to the large number of persons awaiting trial—a phenomenon stemming from logistical, technical, and capacity problems, such as an insufficient number of magistrates, lawyers, and an underdeveloped legal aid system. These factors have resulted in inadequate implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment in Côte d’Ivoire. Additionally, a significant portion of the population is denied access to justice due to the prohibitively high costs of legal assistance and a lack of safeguards against unlawful delays in pre-trial detention.

The Innovation: “Fighting Against Abusive Pre-Trial Detention by Accelerating Legal Procedures”

The main objective of Francis’ project was to combat excessive pre-trial detention and reduce prison overcrowding in two correctional centers in Abidjan. To achieve this, Francis set up seminars to train criminal justice and civil society actors, organized regular prison visits to ensure detainees had proper legal support for their cases, monitored prison records to verify accurate case logging, and took on detainees’ cases with the help of volunteer lawyers while working closely with magistrates.

During the project, 30 criminal justice stakeholders, including magistrates, court clerks, and prison governors, had their capacities strengthened through a seminar on the fundamental rights and judicial guarantees of the accused. Four hundred detainees were educated on their rights and the legal procedures surrounding preventive detention. Four prison visits were conducted, recording a total of 60 cases of abusive detention. These cases were forwarded to a lawyer, who held working sessions with magistrates, resulting in the provisional or definitive release of 40 individuals. The overcrowding rate at the start of the project was 250% at MAC Daloa and 150% at MAC Bouaké. By the end of the project, the overcrowding rates were 200% at MAC Bouaké and 125% at MAC Daloa.