Report highlights poor jail conditions

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has drawn up a report criticizing several prisons for housing inmates in poor physical and social conditions.

Turkey’s prisons have been overpopulated for the last 10 years, as the number of prisoners increased from 59,000 to 130,000, the CHP’s report, which will soon be made public, states, adding that inmates are sleeping in rotation since over 30 prisoners stay in eight-person-capacity cells at several prisons.
CHP lawmakers Veli Ağbaba and Özgür Özel visited several prisons and met with both inmates and prison personnel to research the report.The report highlights major hygiene issues in prisons, indicating that tap water is available only one hour a day in almost every prison visited by CHP lawmakers.

There is not a single standard regarding prison rules, so conditions for prisoners vary between prisons, according to the report. Specifically, inmates have the right to conversation with other prisoners nine hours a week in İzmir’s Buca Prison no. 1, however, inmates in Buca Prison no. 2 have it for two hours a week.

Medical treatments

The report also notes incorrect medical treatments for sick inmates while keeping their names anonymous.

“A convict who suffers from liver disease was given medicine for six years that should have given for six months. That medicine could cause liver cancer if it is taken for more than six months,” the report read.
The report is expected to be revealed by CHP leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu after his visit to Silivri Prison. Kılıçdaroğlu will pay a visit to Silivri Prison tomorrow, on the first day of Eid al-Adha or Feast of the Sacrifice, to meet the main opposition party’s jailed lawmakers Mustafa Balbay and Mehmet Haberal.
Separately, Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan announced that the government is working on a draft law that will allow inmates have conjugal visits once every three months.

With the amendments, arrested suspects on personal leave would be allowed to stay at home, while the governor would be able to decide they must spend nights in prison for security reasons, Babacan told reporters late Oct. 22. k HDN