31/07/2026
𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬
Monrovia, Liberia; July 31, 2026-Atty. Gabriel F. Ndupellar, Assistant Minister for Rehabilitation at the Ministry of Justice's Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation, has returned to Liberia following his participation in a regional conference on "Prisoner Classification and the Use of Technology in Prison Settings in Africa."
The conference was held in Abuja, Nigeria, from July 15–23, 2026, and featured a Learning Exchange Program as well as study visits to selected Nigerian correctional facilities.
Participating countries included Liberia, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Namibia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Togo, and the host nation, Nigeria.
The conference was organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) with support from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) through a partnership with the Africa Correctional Services Association (ACSA).
Atty. Ndupellar was accompanied by Corrections Officer Madam Korpo Vekie Karbbar, Assistant Coordinator for the Prisons Database and Records.
During the plenary and panel discussions, the Liberian delegation reaffirmed the country's commitment to integrating technology into its correctional system, noting that efforts in this area are already underway.
However, the delegation emphasized that effective prisoner classification will remain difficult unless the persistent challenges of prison overcrowding and prolonged pre-trial detention are adequately addressed.
The delegation also informed participants that, in addition to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Mandela Rules), Liberia has several legal and policy frameworks that govern inmate classification and humane custody.
These include Article 21 of the Constitution of Liberia, Chapter 34 of the Criminal Procedure Law of Liberia, and the Standard Operating Procedures of the Bureau of Corrections and Rehabilitation, all of which provide guidance on prisoner classification, separation, and reclassification.
At the conclusion of the conference, participants adopted a communiqué outlining key recommendations for strengthening prisoner classification systems and promoting the effective use of technology across correctional services in West Africa.
The communiqué was subsequently presented to the organizers for consideration and implementation by correctional institutions throughout the region.
Ministry of Justice - Liberia
Ministry of Information
Press Union of Liberia
Office for the Establishment of War and Economic Crimes Court for Liberia
U.S. Embassy Monrovia, Liberia
Ministry of National Defense-Liberia