Pope Leo XIV visited a prison in Bata, Equatorial Guinea, on Wednesday as part of his 11-day, four-nation tour of Africa that included Algeria, Cameroon, and Angola. The visit to the central African nation's most populous coastal city continued the papal tradition of prison visits established by his predecessor Pope Francis.

Equatorial Guinea has faced extensive criticism from international human rights organizations and the United Nations regarding its justice system and prison conditions. The U.S. State Department's 2023 report documented arbitrary arrests, political detentions, torture, life-threatening prison conditions, and problems with judicial independence under President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled since 1979.

The papal visit comes amid controversy over Equatorial Guinea's participation in a U.S. deportation program. According to Associated Press reporting, at least 29 migrants with no ties to the country have been deported there under deals with the Trump administration. Some deportees remain in detention in the capital Malabo with restricted access to legal and medical support, while others have been returned to their home countries where they face persecution.

Ahead of the prison visit, 70 human rights organizations published an open letter urging Pope Leo XIV to speak out against the deportation practices and encourage African nations not to participate in such arrangements. The groups argued these practices violate international law by potentially sending people to places where their lives or freedoms are at risk.

The pope's itinerary also included a Mass in Mongomo and a prayer at a memorial for victims of a 2021 military barracks explosion in Bata. The Equatorial Guinea government has denied human rights abuses and has not responded to questions about the deportation program.

Pope Leo XIV, who is U.S.-born, has previously criticized the Trump administration's migration deportation policies as "extremely disrespectful." The visit concludes his extensive African tour, though some Catholic communities in larger African nations have expressed disappointment at being excluded from the papal itinerary.