Rights violations in Turkish prisons reported by parliamentary committee

Rights violations in Turkish prisons reported by parliamentary committee

BOLD – Turkey’s Parliamentary Subcommittee on Investigation of the Rights of Detainees and Convicts visited Silivri Prison over an investigation on September 5, 2019, and prepared a report on the rights violations.

According to the report, double handcuffs (chain) were being used in hospital referrals, this practice was applied even when the prisoners were being taken to the hospital on campus, and refusal of the referral as a reaction to this practice causing serious health problems were among the documented right violations.

PRİSONER NUMBER ABOVE CAPACITY

The report states that there were 22 thousand 781 prisoners and convicts in Silivri Prison Institutions on the date of the investigation and report stresses that overcapacity causing physical insufficiency.

In the parliamentary inquiry report, the rights violations are listed as follows:GRAVE SANITARY PROBLEMS“The food given to prisoners is not sufficient and nutritious, one bread per person per day is not enough, and therefore, it would be appropriate to improve the meals to meet daily needs and to increase the number of bread per person.

There are pressing problems in health care, especially dental examinations and treatments in the penal institutions that were inspected.

The detainees are not supported sufficiently in terms of psychosocial assistance.

CANTEEN PRICES ABOVE MARKET

Salt, yogurt, detergent and similar necessities of the detainees have to be bought from the canteen, but some of these products are not provided or being sold at very high prices.

PROHIBITION OF PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH FAMILY ON CONTACT VISITATIONS

On the days of the contact visitation, difficulties are raised by the personnel of the institution to the visitors who come to the meeting, the duration of vision is not fully utilized, because most of the time specified is spent on arrival to contact visitation room. Although the contact visitation has great importance for convicts and detainees, physical contact with visitors is not allowed and deprivation of this opportunity leads to psychological problems.

ILL-TREATMENT TO THE CONVICTS AND DETAINEES BY THE STAFF

In particular, arbitrary attitudes and behaviors towards convicts and detainees are carried out by some institution personnel and prisoners are subjected to ill-treatment, and convicts and detainees are subjected to inhuman treatment during especially on their first entry into the institution.

TREATMENT AGAINST HUMAN DIGNITY

Some personnel of the institution carried out humiliating behaviors against convicts and detainees while they are together with their families on contact visitation days and no actions against these practices were taken by the prison administration.

Water is not suitable for use because it is dirty, causing many diseases, especially skin diseases, and there are problems in the supply of hot water in the winter.

HANDCUFFED HOSPİTAL REFERRALS

Double handcuffs (chain) are being used in hospital referrals, this practice is applied even when the prisoners are being taken to the hospital on campus, and refusal of the referral as a reaction to this practice causing serious health problems.”