Drug offenses account for one-third of Turkey's prison population

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Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu has revealed that the number of people in prison for drug-related offenses has significantly increased since July 2016.

The number of prisoners rose from 36,000 to more than 126,000, said the minister.

"The minimum sentence for these offenses has been raised from 10 to 15 years, which reflects the severity of the issue. However, one of the most pressing issues is the alarming number of drug-related prisoners, with approximately 126,000 people incarcerated for drug offenses in our correctional facilities," said Soylu. "To address this, we have started rehabilitation programs in some of our prisons, and more will be established in the future."

According to the İstanbul branch of the Human Rights Association's Prison Commission, the total number of prisoners in Turkey is currently 341,497, with more than one-third of them incarcerated for drug-related offenses.

The Justice Ministry has revealed that there are a total of 481 correctional facilities in the country, with a capacity of 286,797. As of January 2, 2023, there is a capacity surplus of 54,700 prisoners, which equates to around 19.07 percent of the total capacity.

The increasing number of drug-related prisoners in Turkey is a major concern for human rights organizations, who have called for urgent action to address the root causes of drug addiction and to provide prisoners with access to appropriate medical and rehabilitation services. (AS/VK)