Increasing numbers of prisoners and rights violations in Turkish prisons

The Human Rights Association (IHD) presented its report on human rights violations in prisons in Turkey for 2022 at a press conference held at the association’s headquarters. Reporting a wide range of violations, the IHD states that at least 10.789 violations have occurred in 2022. The report is based on applications received by IHD headquarters, branches and regional offices, regular prison reports and data collected during prison visits.

The report states that there are 407 prisons in Turkey, 22 of which were opened in 2022 and the capacity of these prisons is 296.000. Noting that 20 prisons are to be opened this year, the IHD assesses this fact as follows: “With this situation, the AKP envisages a future based on the imprisonment of the people”. The report also emphasizes that the number of prisoners is increasing every day. According to data published by the Ministry of Justice, in December 2022 there were 336.315 detainees and convicts, but as of 3 July this number had increased to 360.772. Among them, 2572 are children and 6223 are over 65 years old.

The IHD points out that there is no hygienic environment, as detainees are kept in overcrowded wards, and that one-person transport vehicles are used for hospital transfers, which is contrary to human dignity. It is stressed that detainees are also subjected to racist and discriminatory practices in the hospital. There are also other concerns in prisons, such as inadequate heating and ventilation in wards and cells, prisoners’ lack of access to daylight, limited access to clean water and hot water, and a lack of dietary food. Drinking water is only available for a price. The IHD says that a total of 81 detainees lost their lives in 2022, adding that many of these detainees lost their lives as a result of violation of their rights.

According to the report, there are numerous torture practices in Turkish prisons, such as beatings, threats, insults, strip searches, oral searches, standing roll calls, phone calls, military orders, marching in single file, denial of the right to fresh air, imposition of spying, cameras watching living areas, and raids and searches. It also emphasized that Kurdish letters were not sent or received, internal mail was blocked and prisoners who did not speak Turkish were denied all their rights in this regard. At least 1004 violations were recorded in this regard. There are also dozens of rights violations related to the denial of Kurdish books and magazines.

The report also addresses the isolation of PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in İmralı Prison. It states that Öcalan has not been allowed to meet with his lawyers since 7 August 2019 and has not been heard from for 29 months, that there has been no positive or negative response to requests for visits, and that a new disciplinary sanction was imposed on 18 July preventing him from meeting with his lawyers. The IHD calls on the Ministry of Justice and all relevant institutions to ensure effective administrative and judicial oversight of the prison regime, physical conditions and treatment in prisons.