Mozambique’s prison system is operating far beyond capacity, with new figures showing that overcrowding and justice delays are severely straining inmate conditions and undermining rehabilitation efforts.
According to Attorney‑General Américo Letela on Wednesday, the country’s 157 penitentiary facilities, which were built to hold 8,873 inmates, housed 18,957 people as of December 2025 — more than double their holding capaity.
Presenting his annual report to parliament, Letela said the justice system is struggling with procedural delays, disorganised inmate files and missing documentation, all of which contribute to prolonged detention and stalled parole processes.
He warned that the backlog is compromising basic incarceration standards, including access to food, medical care and educational or recreational programmes.
Letela said delays in processing appeals and granting parole remain among the biggest obstacles to the effective functioning of the justice system.
He added that the limited use of alternative sentences, combined with weak security systems and inadequate technical resources, has worsened pressure on the prison network.
To ease pressure on the system, authorities have begun processing 1,700 parole applications and expanding the use of non‑custodial sentences such as community service.
Letela said structural reforms and new investment are essential if Mozambique is to meet its rehabilitation and reintegration goals.
JN/APA