Hell behind bars: The five most notorious prisons

Saturday 23 August 2025 - 11:30

By: Sahili Aya

Hell behind bars: The five most notorious prisons

While the United States moves to close the controversial “Alligator Alcatraz” migrant detention center in Florida, other prisons around the world are infamous for even harsher conditions. From extreme isolation to overcrowding and reports of torture, these facilities have earned reputations as some of the worst in the world.

Guantánamo Bay, USA
Established in 2002 after the 9/11 attacks, the Guantánamo Bay detention center in Cuba has held suspected terrorists under conditions widely condemned as inhumane. Prisoners have faced prolonged isolation, interrogation methods deemed equivalent to torture, and indefinite detention without trial.

ADX Florence, USA
Known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies,” ADX Florence is a supermax federal prison in Colorado. Inmates, including terrorists and serial killers, are typically confined alone in small cells for over 22 hours a day, with very limited human interaction or meaningful activity.

CECOT, El Salvador
Opened in 2023, the “Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo” can house up to 40,000 inmates, primarily gang members. Prisoners are crammed into steel bunk beds with minimal provisions, under 24-hour surveillance, with extremely limited time outside cells. Human rights groups report systemic abuses, including torture and solitary confinement.

Evin Prison, Iran
Located in Tehran, Evin has long been used to detain political opponents, journalists, and intellectuals. Reports and leaked videos indicate widespread physical abuse, sexual harassment, and denial of medical care. Interrogations have included flagellation, mock executions, and other forms of torture.

Black Dolphin Prison, Russia
Situated in Orenburg Oblast, Black Dolphin is a high-security penal colony housing Russia’s most dangerous criminals. Inmates spend 23 hours a day in near-total isolation, monitored constantly by guards, with minimal light or contact with others.

These facilities highlight the extreme measures some governments take in controlling prisoners, often at the expense of human rights and dignity.