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Fremantle Prison: A Dark History Of Crime And Punishment

The prison was closed in 1991 for breaches to human rights.

Video by Emily Verdouw

Fremantle Prison was originally built to house convicts and is known as one of Australia's most notorious punishment prisons.

Opened in 1855, 44 men and women have been executed in the gallows with the last taking place in 1964.

Other common forms of reprimand would be floggings and extraordinarily long stints in solitary confinement, some lasting up to two or three years.

In 1988 this culture of punishment boiled over as inmates started a riot after they were left outside all day in 40 degree heat. This drew the publics attention to the inhumane conditions of the jail and led to the prisons shut down in 1991 for breaches to human rights.

The Fremantle Prisons 136 year history remains in tact today and is one of Western Australia's most iconic tourist sites.

To find out more about Fremantle Prison, head over here.

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