‘’The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by entering its prisons’’, a quote told by the well-known author Fyodor Dostoevsky. Words that unfortunately seem to be unnoticed by supposed civilized societies, and even in 2020 violation over the rights of prisoners in various prisons, still exists.

Many are prisoners of Greek prisons who have been acquitted in recent years by the European Court of Human Rights, citing a violation of this article 3 of the ECHR (European Convention on Human Rights) on Prohibition torture and inhumane and degrading treatment. The reasons that led them to make complaints are many. First on the list refers to the problem of overcrowding within the country's penitentiary establishments, as the prisoners have at least a small personal space, often less than 3 sqm, which contradicts Article 3 of the ECHR. Still, cases have been reported inmates who did not receive appropriate medical care or they remained in inappropriate conditions of detention, such as the case of serial prisoners at St. Paul's Korydallos Hospital, who complained about both poor health conditions, as well as inconsistencies in their treatment. In addition, a CPT delegation that visited Greece in April 2015 observed further mistreatment and violence against prisoners by police officers, as well as different treatment of foreign detainees compared to Greeks.

These and many more are the problems that prisoners face when they are kept in prisons. Cruel and inhumane situations that no man is not worth it, because we must not forget that whatever the reason that led them to prison, people remain. People who after serving their sentences should be reintegrated in our society and it is our duty to help them. So let's be like truly civilized people putting an end to the violation of their rights prisoners.