The administration has been ordered to improve conditions at the Aix-Luynes prison after an administrative court in Marseille ruled on Tuesday, June 8. The court directed the French minister of justice to implement several measures aimed at enhancing living conditions and ensuring that no prisoner faces degrading treatment at the Aix-Luynes penitentiary center. This decision followed a complaint from an inmate with hypertension who was living in a cell infested with cockroaches, along with complaints from the Syndicat des avocats de France (SAF), a lawyers' union, and the French branch of the International Observatory of Prisons (OIP), an organization that monitors prison conditions globally. The court’s ruling, which followed a public hearing on August 25, requires the minister of justice to conduct a full inventory of all individuals sleeping on mattresses placed on the floor or on camp beds. The goal is to provide clean bedding to those sleeping on the floor within a short timeframe and to eliminate such sleeping arrangements for vulnerable detainees. The court also ordered the completion of pest control and rodent control operations in both buildings of the prison until the infestations are permanently eradicated. Additionally, the judge requested the replacement or repair of 41 faulty or missing doors in sanitary rooms within the cells. Other requirements include ensuring compliance with scheduled medical check-ups, restoring call devices in the cells, and providing regular access to a telephone booth for prisoners. The court also granted a request from the complainant currently held at Aix-Luynes, asking the administration to re-examine their individual assignment and implement protective measures. For Me Maxime Carrez, the lawyer who filed the complaint, the decision is “very good news.” He said it aligns with a broader trend of court rulings condemning the French government over prison conditions. Earlier this summer, similar orders were issued for prisons in Bordeaux, Fresnes, and Condé-sur-Sarthe. French prisons have long faced criticism for overcrowding, poor living conditions, and a shortage of staff. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has previously condemned the French state for these issues, highlighting the need for ongoing reforms.