UMAM D&R and the MENA Prison Forum have made the difficult decision to postpone the scheduled event “Understanding Prison: Carceral Culture and Human Rights in the MENA Region” due to the situation in Gaza, the instability and threat of violence looming over Lebanon, and the highly emotional and charged environment both regionally and globally.

This decision was not made lightly: it was made with careful consideration of the time, energy, and freedom needed from the event team, partners, and participants to productively engage in this event. The regional and global dynamics do not allow, at this moment, for the open, interdisciplinary, and critical discussion of human rights, justice and accountability, and prisons and carcerality that the event aimed to foster. 

The MENA Prison Forum team would like to express its gratitude for the continued support and understanding from the event partners, namely medico international and the Hebbel am Ufer theater, and the event participants. This postponement does not mean a postponement of our work on these topics, but gives us time to weather with care and compassion the current difficult moment. The event is foreseen to be rescheduled for 2024.