Guards protest Geneva prison crowding

A record number of inmates is crowding the cells of Geneva’s main prison, according to a union representing guards at the Champ-Dollon facility.

The union said 545 prisoners are currently being held in the detention facility built to accommodate 270 people.

A spokesman Philippe Veronese said the high number of inmates is putting excessive stress on employees.

Cells designed to hold three people are being filled five or even six prisoners at a time, Veronese said.

The union, which said the population could reach 600 if current trends continue, called on authorities to step up efforts to expand the prison.