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Turkey-Prison-Conditions-FINAL.Pdf COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION (COI) March 2021 BRIEF REPORT Turkey Prison conditions newtodenmark.dk This brief report is not, and does not purport to be, a detailed or comprehensive survey of all aspects of the issues addressed. It should thus be weighed against other country of origin information available on the topic. The brief report at hand does not include any policy recommendations. The information does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Danish Immigration Service. Furthermore, this brief report is not conclusive as to the determination or merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Terminology used should not be regarded as indicative of a particular legal position. © 2021 The Danish Immigration Service The Danish Immigration Service Farimagsvej 51A 4700 Næstved Denmark Phone: +45 35 36 66 00 newtodenmark.dk March 2021 All rights reserved to the Danish Immigration Service. The publication can be downloaded for free at newtodenmark.dk The Danish Immigration Service’s publications can be quoted with clear source reference. TURKEY – PRISON CONDITIONS Executive summary Overcrowding of the prisons in Turkey is one of the ajo issues affetig the pisoes elleig, oth i terms of having a personal space and maintaining oes personal hygiene. Furthermore, many prisoners have complained about the nourishment of the food served, and sources have indicated that the daily allowance for the prisoners is insufficient in order to maintain a healthy diet. Remand prisoners and sentenced prisoners are imprisoned together in the same wards and cells, thus, they are living under the same conditions. Prisoners, who are sentenced or charged with serious crimes, such as terror, murder, crimes against national security and against the constitutional order are imprisoned in high security prisons. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the health care services available to the prisoners has worsened, but sources have pointed to several structural flaws in terms of general adequate health care, including elongated procedures of referrals to hospitals, which adds to the risk of worsening the condition or eventually the death of a prisoner. As such, at least 49 prisoners died in Turkish prisons for several different reasons in 2020, including illness. As regards to the regime in prisons, prisoners have the right to participate in a variety of different activities, including vocational workshops, though there are limits to these activities, both as a result of the pandemic, but also because of structural flaws and negligence. In general, prisoners have contact to their families and lawyer, but sources noted the tendency of incarcerating people far away from their regions of origin and in desolate areas, which complicates the immediate contact with the family or lawyers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, contact with families and lawyers have been restricted, and the prison administration is entitled to record a prisoners meeting with his/her lawyer. Furthermore, prisoners sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment do not enjoy the same rights as other prisoners. The maximum duration of solitary confinement as determined by law exceeds the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). Sources noted that disciplinary punishments, including solitary confinement, are used excessively and disproportionately. Besides affecting the wellbeing of a prisoner, this can have a negative effect on the duration of the sentence in terms of qualifying for early conditional release. Furthermore, sources pointed out that prisoners serving aggravated life sentences are living under conditions resembling solitary confinement. There are many reports of torture, ill-treatment and inter-prisoner violence from NGOs and Turkish media alike. Patterns include, among others, beatings, threats, insults and disproportionate use of strip searches. Besides the CPT, several national institutions have access to monitor the prisons and report of issues, but sources pointed out several flaws relating to these, among others, that they are not independent. Likewise, complaints mechanisms do exist, but sources do no experience that complaints are ruled in favour of the plaintiff and points to a general culture of impunity in the country. NGOs confirmed that discrimination against certain groups of prisoners take place, including Kurds, religious minorities, political prisoners, women, juveniles, LGBT persons, sick prisoners and foreigners. 1 TURKEY – PRISON CONDITIONS Table of contents Executive summary ................................................................................................................................ 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Glossary ................................................................................................................................................. 7 1. Actors granted access to prisons and complaint mechanisms ............................................................... 8 1.1. Authorities to investigate complaints of torture/ill-treatment ............................................................ 10 1.2. Impunity ................................................................................................................................................ 10 2. Types of prisons ............................................................................................................................... 11 2.1. Which prisoners/crimes are allocated in the different types of prisons .............................................. 12 3. Living conditions for prisoners .......................................................................................................... 13 3.1. Separation of sentenced and remand prisoners .................................................................................. 13 3.2. Separation of women ........................................................................................................................... 14 3.3. Separation of juveniles ......................................................................................................................... 14 3.4. Material conditions ............................................................................................................................... 14 3.4.1. Prison cells ..................................................................................................................................... 14 3.4.2 Prison population ............................................................................................................................ 15 3.4.3. Lighting and ventilation ................................................................................................................. 16 3.4.4. State of repair ................................................................................................................................ 16 3.4.5. Nourishment .................................................................................................................................. 17 3.5. Sanitary arrangements and access to personal hygiene ...................................................................... 17 3.5.1. Special treatment for women ........................................................................................................ 18 3.6. Health care ............................................................................................................................................ 18 3.6.1. Special treatment for women ........................................................................................................ 20 4. Access to meaningful activities ......................................................................................................... 20 4.2. Women – meaningful activities ............................................................................................................ 21 4.3. Juveniles – meaningful activities .......................................................................................................... 22 5. Contact to the outside world ............................................................................................................ 22 5.1. Contact to family .................................................................................................................................. 22 5.1.1. Restrictions and disciplinary actions .............................................................................................. 23 2 TURKEY – PRISON CONDITIONS 5.1.2. Location of prisoners ..................................................................................................................... 24 5.2. Contact to lawyers ................................................................................................................................ 24 .. Woes otat ith the outside old ............................................................................................ 25 .. Jueiles otat to the outside old ................................................................................................ 25 6. Solitary confinement and other disciplinary punishments .................................................................
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