Faced with critical prison overcrowding, the Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture in Ivory Coast (ACAT CI) proposes a major reform: replacing prison with alternative sanctions for minor offences.

On Thursday, May 28, 2026, ACAT CI officially presented its new advocacy project in Abidjan. Conducted in partnership with the NGO Planète Paix , this initiative benefits from the technical support of the International Federation of ACATs (FIACAT) and the financial support of the French Development Agency (AFD).

The urgent figures: prisons 201% full

The situation in Ivorian prisons is alarming. The key figures presented by Yéo Marie, the project coordinator, speak for themselves:

1. Number of inmates (as of July 15, 2025): ~ 27,021
2. Official capacity: 13,438 seats
3. Occupancy rate: Over 201%

"This suffocating overcrowding seriously compromises respect for the fundamental rights of prisoners, whether it be access to care or to decent food," warns Ms. Yéo.

According to the NGO's scientific committee, systematic incarceration for minor offenses is one of the main drivers of this crisis.

Breaking the cycle of penalizing poverty

For Kouadio Paul, president of ACAT CI, it is urgent to prioritize social and educational solutions rather than prisons. He emphasizes that many incarcerations stem directly from poverty.

1. Begging and vagrancy
2. Minor offenses related to social or family circumstances
3. Breaches of hygiene code

Touré Josiane, head of the scientific committee, points out that the Ivorian Penal Code still provides for prison sentences for minor property offenses. The objective is therefore to update these outdated laws.

An action plan and concrete alternatives

Deployed over six months (from January 12 to July 11, 2026), the project has already resulted in the creation of an awareness booklet on minor offenses . This document, based on international human rights standards, will serve as a tool to influence policymakers.

ACAT CI intends to actively lobby the Ministry of Justice and parliamentarians to impose alternative sentences to detention , such as:

1. Community service (TIG)
2. Mediation and financial redress
3. Appropriate economic sanctions

This initiative was warmly welcomed by Traoré Souleymane, representative of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), who sees it as a crucial step towards humanizing detention conditions in Ivory Coast.