Charles Andrès, 17/06/2013 16:15:
Wikipedia for prisoners – an unexpected partnership
between a swiss prison and Wikimedia CH
Following an initiative from Emmanuel Engelhart, with the support of Wikimedia CH CAO,
Chantal Ebongué, since March 2013, prisoners who request can have an access to Wikipedia
offline (Kiwix project). The idea is to stimulate or to support the interest for education
of prisoners who were, for a large majority, condemned to long-time sentences.
After three months of pilot phasis, the project is successful : Among the 36 prisoners of
the Bellevue’s prison in Gorgier, 18 possess or rent a computer. All of them requested the
upload of Wikipedia offline on their PC. For security reasons, swiss prisoners have a very
restricted access to internet.
More informations in the press releases (ENG, DE, FR, IT) that was sent today to the
swiss media
This is a project I've loved since the first time I heard about it: it's
socially crucial.
I look forward to a future when I'm able to give Wikipedia/Wikisource
workshops in the two big jails near my home, to further the article 27th
of the Italian constitution.
Nemo