Pope Leo Condemns Prison Conditions in Equatorial Guinea During Africa Tour

Pope Leo has criticized the treatment of prisoners in Equatorial Guinea, ahead of a visit to a jail known for its dire conditions.

He addressed the Central African nation on Wednesday at a Mass that drew some 100,000 people, including Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the country's leader and the world's long-serving president.

Pope Leo stated, My thoughts go to the poorest, to families experiencing difficulty and to prisoners who are often forced to live in troubling hygienic and sanitary conditions.

Oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, a country with a poor human rights record and vast income inequalities, is the Pope's final stop on a four-nation tour of Africa.

On the last day of his tour, he visited an infamous prison in the economic capital, Bata, where Amnesty International has reported that inmates are 'routinely beaten as punishment.'

The human rights organization added that numerous prisoners have 'neither been seen nor heard from, and their relatives do not know whether they are alive or dead.'

During Wednesday's Mass at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mongomo, the Pope urged Equatoguineans to serve the common good rather than private interests, calling for a bridge between the privileged and the disadvantaged.

He further advocated for the country's resources to improve the lives of all citizens and warned that the nation's future depended on the people's choices.

With President Obiang's government facing accusations of corruption and diverting oil revenues to benefit a select elite, Pope Leo's message resonated with many who hope for change.

The Pope's tour included visits to Algeria, Cameroon, and Angola, during which he emphasized the need for human dignity and denounced tyranny in the region.