Thu Nov 27 12:05:07 UTC 2025: Summary:
Two inmates escaped from a French jail in Dijon by sawing through cell bars and using bed sheets. The escapees were a 19-year-old awaiting trial for attempted murder and a 32-year-old incarcerated for threats and violence. This follows a recent escape from a prison in Rennes, where an inmate fled during an outing. Prison director unions are criticizing Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin, accusing him of prioritizing supermax prisons for drug traffickers and jihadists while neglecting other jails suffering from overcrowding. This highlights France’s issue of prison overcrowding, which ranks among the worst in Europe. The escape also calls back to the case of Mohamed Amra, a notorious drug baron who escaped in May 2024 and was later recaptured.
News Article:
Two Inmates Escape French Jail Amid Overcrowding Concerns
Lyon, France – November 27, 2025 (The Hindu e-Paper) – Two detainees successfully escaped from a prison in Dijon, eastern France, overnight, marking the second such incident in the country in recent weeks. According to Dijon prosecutor Olivier Caracotch, the inmates sawed through the bars of their cell and used bed sheets to descend to freedom.
The escapees have been identified as a 19-year-old man awaiting trial for attempted murder in a drug-related case since October 2024, and a 32-year-old man incarcerated since 2023 for violence and threats against a partner.
This incident comes just ten days after another escape in Rennes, where a convict serving time for theft fled during a supervised outing to a planetarium. It is currently unclear whether he has been apprehended. Following that incident, Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin dismissed the prison director.
The prison director unions are now criticizing the tough-talking, right-wing Justice Minister, who is focused on creating high-security prisons for the most dangerous drug traffickers. Unions accuse him of shifting funding from other areas, creating the issue of overcrowding.
This is not the first time France has experienced a high-profile prison break. In May 2024, notorious drug baron Mohamed Amra, nicknamed “The Fly,” escaped from a prison van during an attack by accomplices, resulting in the deaths of two prison guards. Amra was eventually recaptured in Romania after a months-long manhunt.
First Piper 