More Than One-Third Of Africa’s Prison Population Held Without Trial –UN Report

20th July, 2026 | News

UN Report: Africa Records Second-Highest Rate of Pre-Trial Detention Globally

A new United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report has revealed that Africa has the second-highest rate of pre-trial detention in the world, with 34% of the continent’s prison population held without conviction or sentencing in 2024. Only Oceania recorded a higher rate at 39%, while the global average stands at 31%.

According to the Prison Matters 2026 report, an estimated 3.6 million people were in pre-trial detention worldwide in 2024, compared to 3.3 million a decade earlier. The report also highlighted significant regional disparities, noting that Sub-Saharan Africa remains among the regions with the highest number of unsentenced detainees, while Southern Asia recorded the highest rate globally, with 62% of prisoners awaiting trial.

The report further revealed that women in Africa are disproportionately affected by pre-trial detention, with a 10-percentage-point gender gap compared to men. It warned that prolonged detention without trial undermines the presumption of innocence, exposes detainees to harsher prison conditions, and disproportionately affects poor defendants with limited access to legal representation.

The UN cited Kenya as a positive example, highlighting community-based legal initiatives and prisoner paralegals that have helped secure bail reviews and reduce unnecessary detention.

The findings underscore the urgent need for judicial reforms, faster trials, and stronger legal support to protect human rights and reduce prison overcrowding across Africa.