Pope Leo XIV Criticizes Prison Conditions During Equatorial Guinea Visit

Pope Leo XIV visited a high-security prison in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, during the final stop of his four-nation Africa tour, delivering a rare public critique of prison conditions and calling for justice reform. The Pope urged authorities to use the justice system to rebuild lives rather than just punish, while Amnesty International reports inmates are routinely beaten and some have disappeared. Equatorial Guinea Justice Minister Reginaldo Biyogo Ndong denied the allegations, insisting detainees are treated fairly. The Pope also addressed broader issues of corruption and inequality in the oil-rich nation, where President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has ruled since 1979 and more than half the population lives in poverty despite significant natural resources. The visit included a Mass attended by 100,000 people and a private meeting with the 83-year-old president.

Pope Leo XIV's criticism of prison conditions and justice system

• ▪Prisoners who had been drenched in the rain shouted "freedom" when Pope Leo XIV left the Bata prison
• ▪Pope Leo XIV urged Equatorial Guinea authorities to use the justice system to help rebuild lives of victims, offenders and communities rather than just to punish
• ▪Pope Leo XIV visited a high security prison facility in Bata, Equatorial Guinea

Equatorial Guinea's human rights record and wealth inequality

• ▪Pope Leo XIV called for Equatorial Guinea's resources to be used to improve the lives of the wider population and not just a privileged few
• ▪President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo held a private meeting with Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday, April 21, 2026
• ▪President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo is 83 years old and seized power in Equatorial Guinea in 1979
• ▪Pope Leo XIV said his thoughts go to prisoners in Equatorial Guinea who are often forced to live in troubling hygienic and sanitary conditions
• ▪Transparency International has listed Equatorial Guinea as one of the world's most corrupt states

Broader themes from the Pope's four-nation Africa tour

• ▪Equatorial Guinea is Pope Leo XIV's final stop on a four-nation tour of Africa
• ▪Pope Leo XIV addressed Equatorial Guinea at a Mass that drew some 100,000 people including President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
• ▪Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass on Wednesday at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in the town of Mongomo
• ▪Pope Leo XIV visited a memorial for victims of an explosion at a military base in Equatorial Guinea in 2021 that killed over 100 people and injured 600 others