Recently installed cell phone signal jammers have sparked a fierce conflict in Seysses prison near Toulouse, France. On June 24 and June 25, inmates in the prison organized a strike to protest the implementation of the new system. They claimed that the radio waves emitted by the jammers had adverse effects on their health, sparking strong dissatisfaction.
According to La Dépêche du Midi, about two weeks ago, the management of Seysses prison decided to install anti-cell phone jammers to prevent prisoners from using mobile phones in prison. However, the decision quickly sparked protests from prisoners. Many prisoners reported that the radio waves from the jammers made them feel uncomfortable and even had symptoms such as headaches. One prisoner's mother even found her son holding his head and looked very painful during a visit. She was worried that these radio waves were harmful to the human body, but the health problems of the prisoners did not seem to have attracted enough attention from the prison.
Despite the inmates' concerns, prison staff said they had not felt any discomfort since the jammers were installed. One prison official even said that if the jammers' waves were harmful, then staff would also be affected. However, these words did little to calm the inmates' anger. The inmates believe that the installation of the jammers has restricted their only way to communicate with the outside world. Mobile phone calls should be strictly prohibited, but in fact many inmates have access to mobile phones and use them with the tacit consent of the prison management.
Surprisingly, the prison management had previously been tolerant of the phenomenon of prisoners using mobile phones privately. According to the Southern News, the "tacit understanding" between the prisoners and the prison authorities seems to have been broken. Not only can the prisoners now not contact their families freely, but they also have to endure the physical discomfort caused by the jammers. The implementation of the jammers has obviously broken the long-standing balance in the prison and triggered a new round of confrontation between the prisoners and the prison management.
In order to express their protest against the measure, the prisoners took strike action on June 24 and 25. They refused to return to their cells after marching in the prison to express their dissatisfaction. This incident has also attracted the attention of the government. The authorities are closely following the development of the situation and considering taking appropriate measures to ease the tension.
In summary, the installation of mobile phone jammers in Seysses Prison has caused a big disturbance. The prisoners' protests reflect their concerns about their health and communication rights. How to find a balance between maintaining prison security and protecting the basic rights of prisoners will become an important challenge for administrators.