Prisons are a key to understanding societies and political regimes. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the conference “Understanding Prison” puts this correlation at the center of the debate and addresses imprisonment and torture, exile and displacement, justice and accountability – in the MENA region and beyond.

The starting point is the work of the MENA Prison Forum (MPF), an interdisciplinary documentation and research platform working on the significance of prisons for the region's political culture, future, and identity. With an exhibition, music, film, discussions, and workshops, the three-day event invites former prisoners, human rights activists, artists, filmmakers, and lawyers to help decipher the prison complex as a place that shapes and influences the world.

Lectures, Workshops and artistic contributions with Hassan Abdulrahman, Ali Abou Dehn, Anwar Al-Bunni, Yassin Al-Haj Saleh, Eylaf Bader Eddin, Jaber Baker, Khaled Barakeh, Ibrahim Bayrikdar, Monika Borgmann, Susanne Buckley-Zistel, Mathias Ghyoot, Franziska Grillmeier, Hossam Hamalawy, Maria Hartmann, Mina Ibrahim, Andrew Jefferson, Wolfgang Kaleck, Kalia Kambanella, Mina Khani, Patrick Kroker, Kesra Kurdi, Lynn Maalouf, Tomas Max Martin, Amer Matar, Anne-Marie McManus, Wafa Mustafa, Ayman Nahle, Mario Neumann, Stella Peisch, Haitham Qatrib, Ahmad Said, Mithat Sancar, Bente Scheller, Joumana Seif, Assad Shalsh, Fritz Streiff, Hannah Tatjes, Margarita Tsomou, Uğur Ümit Üngör, Eyal Weizman, Jad Yateem and many more.

A cooperation by MENA Prison Forum, medico international, and HAU Hebbel am Ufer. 

Supported by: European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), Open Society Foundation, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Danish Institute Against Torture (DIGNITY).