‘396 prisoners filed complaints about torture in 7 months’

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The Ministry of Justice has answered the Parliamentary question of main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) İstanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu about the incidents of torture and ill treatment in prisons.

In his Parliamentary question from a year ago, Tanrıkulu asked, "How many complaints have reached the related authorities about the incidents of maltreatment, violence and inhuman treatment faced by arrestees, convicts and their relatives and their access to right to health?"

In its answer, the Ministry has announced that 396 complaints of torture and maltreatment have been submitted since October 1, 2019. 

"Fundamental changes have been made in our legislation so that arrestees and convicts will not be subjected to any incidents of maltreatment in penal institutions and the causes of such complaints can be eliminated," the Ministry of Justice has added in its answer.

'Prisons are inspected by NGOs'

The Ministry has also indicated that Turkey's prisons are inspected by the monitoring boards established as per the Law on Penal Institutions and Detention Houses Monitoring Boards as well as by the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey (TİHEK), the Parliamentary Commission for Investigating Human Rights, the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and United Nations (UN) Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

'A special unit against torture has been established'

According to the answer of the Ministry, prisons are visited by the above mentioned organizations without notice.

"Competent authorities are informed about the flaws and shortcomings relating to the health and living conditions of arrestees and convicts as well as the interior security and their referral and transfer proceedings," the Ministry of Justice has added further.

"The applications of convicts and arrestees, NGOs, official or private human rights organizations are examined meticulously and what is stipulated by the law is done about the officials who had faults or negligence in line with the result of administrative and legal investigations."

The Ministry has also informed that "with the aim of addressing the complaints about human rights and allegations of maltreatment and torture in penal institutions, especially after June 15 coup attempt," a special unit has been established under the roof of General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses affiliated with the Justice Ministry.

"The related unit closely follows all news and comments on media and receives the complaints of citizens via the Internet. All allegations are swiftly examined by this unit and the result of the examination is announced to the public," the Ministry has informed further.

İHD: 246 violations of rights in 3 months

According to the January-February-March 2020 report of the Human Rights Association (İHD) İstanbul Branch Prison Commission, 246 violations of rights were reported only from the prisons in Marmara Region, which is one of the seven regions of Turkey. (RT/SD)