Built during the colonial period, the establishment has, since 1984, been under the governance of the Ministry of Justice of Guinea.

[5] After the 2021 Guinean coup d'état on 5 September, the National Committee of Reconciliation and Development freed 79 political prisoners.

[6] The prison was raided on 4 November 2023, resulting in the brief escape of former military ruler Moussa Dadis Camara, who was being held for his role in the brutal suppression of the 2009 Guinean protests.

However in 2021, Amnesty International reported the prison held almost 2000 detainees,[4] while, in its 2023 report, the US Department of State described conditions as overcrowded.

[1] Among those who have been imprisoned in the Conakry central prison include: