HM Prison Belmarsh

HMP Belmarsh
Aerial view of HM Prison Belmarsh (centre).
To the left is HMP Isis, to the right is HMP Thameside
Interactive map of HMP Belmarsh
LocationWestern Way, Thamesmead,
London, SE28 0EB
Security classAdult Male/Category A
Capacity792
Population675 (as of August 2021)
Opened1991 (1991)
Managed byHM Prison Services
GovernorJenny Louis
WebsiteBelmarsh at justice.gov.uk

His Majesty's Prison Belmarsh is a Category A men's prison located in Thamesmead, south-east London, England. Belmarsh Prison is run by His Majesty's Prison Service and is situated next to HMP Isis and HMP Thameside. The prison is used for high-profile prisoners, particularly those concerning national security. Within the grounds of the prison is the High Security Unit (HSU), consisting of 48 single cells.

Belmarsh is nicknamed "Hellmarsh", owing to the high number of physical and authority abuses reported by both the prison's inmates (including former politician Jeffrey Archer, who coined the name and was imprisoned there for two years for perjury), and human rights activists.

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