The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has documented warnings regarding the deteriorating health conditions of detainees held in Shalla Prison in the city of El Fasher, amid growing concerns over the spread of disease, shortages of medication, and the lack of adequate medical care.
These concerns are based on testimonies provided by three former detainees, including a healthcare worker, who were released during June, July, and August 2026.
According to statements made by the former detainees to local media outlets, Shalla Prison holds hundreds of detainees who were transferred from various detention facilities in El Fasher. The majority are reportedly civilians, many of whom suffer from chronic illnesses and face limited access to medication and healthcare services.
The testimonies also referred to deaths that allegedly occurred during the initial months of detention. One former detainee stated that some deaths were linked to illness and inadequate access to food, while a healthcare source reported symptoms suggestive of tuberculosis among several detainees, in the absence of the diagnostic tools necessary to confirm and treat suspected cases.
The Committee for Justice calls for urgent intervention to ensure that all detainees receive the medical care and medications they require, and for humanitarian and human rights organizations to be granted access to the prison in order to assess detention conditions and monitor the well-being of detainees.
CFJ further calls for an investigation into the reported deaths inside the prison and stresses the importance of ensuring that civilians are not subjected to arbitrary detention, while fully respecting their fundamental rights and guarantees under international human rights standards.
