Reports: Turkey Poised to Release Thousands of Prisoners over Covid-19 Outbreak

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The Ministry of Justice is preparing to release thousands of inmates to prevent the Covid-19 disease from spreading in prisons, according to reports.

There are more than 270 thousand prisoners in 375 prisons in the country of 80 million and rights defenders say that many of the prisons are overcrowded.

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Union of Turkish Bar Associations (TBB) Chair Metin Feyzioğlu on Tuesday (March 17) called on the parliament to reduce sentences, saying that the coronavirus outbreak made a reform in the criminal execution necessary.

"I address our parliament, let's make a one-off sentence and execution reduction. Because there are four or five times more inmates than the capacity of the prisons. If the virus spreads inside, there will be a huge problem. We should reduce the numbers in prisons to a reasonable level," he had said.

Thirty-three bar associations had also called on the government to release prisoners and take measures for the remaining inmates and prison officers. Italy, Iran and the US are among the countries that released thousands of prisoners to prevent the spread of the disease in prisons.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had a meeting on the issue with Justice Minister Abdülhamit Gül, Interior Minister Soylu, and members of the Presidency's Law Committee at Çankaya Mansion in the capital Ankara, daily Milliyet reported. Erdoğan wanted the legislation to be completed, the report said.

House arrest for older and ill prisoners and trial without arrest for some offenses were also discussed as Erdoğan ordered the scope of the regulation to be extended, said a report by BBC Turkish.

The government was previously working on amendments to the law on criminal execution as part of a judicial reform package.

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The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has also been in talks with its ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), according to a report by Gazete Duvar.

According to a law proposal being prepared, the duration of sentences might be reduced by half, except for the offenses related to terrorism, drugs, violence on women and children, sexual abuse and repeating crimes, the report said. As much as 30 thousand prisoners could be released with such a regulation, according to the report.

In order to have a high number of prisoners to be released, a reduction in certain rates for all offenses other than offenses related to terrorism is another option, the reports said.

The proposal is expected to be submitted to the parliamentary speaker's office if an agreement is reached.

(AS/VK)