'Daily Food Allowance for Prisoners Not Enough for Healthy Nutrition'

Prisoners fail to get enough calories with a daily allowance of 8.5 lira, or slightly more than one dollar, rights groups have warned.

İstanbul

'Daily Food Allowance for Prisoners Not Enough for Healthy Nutrition'

Ağrı Prison in eastern Turkey (Photo: AA)

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Rights groups and professional organizations have called on the authorities to increase the food allowance for prisoners, which they said is not enough for healthy nutrition, especially in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic, when healthy nutrition and immune system have become more important.

Prisons are the most significant places of communal living that are under the threat of the disease because of an architecture that does not allow air circulation and access to sunlight, the increased risk of infection due to overcrowding, and the difficulties prisoners experience accessing sufficient cleaning supplies and healthcare services, 11 organizations, including the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey and İstanbul Medical Chamber, said in a written statement.

The daily food allowance of 8.5 lira (~1.26 USD) is not enough for healthy and balanced nutrition and prisoners' purchasing power is decreasing with the yearly increase in food inflation, according to the statement.

"Increasing the determined subsistence allowance with the increase in food inflation will enable prisoners to take food products at the calorie level they need to take daily," the groups said.

According to Article 5 of the Regulation on Subsistence Allowances of Convicts, Arrestees and Penal Institution Staff, "Daily subsistence allowance is the amount determined by considering daily calorie needs, which is determined together with the Ministry of Health, and budget possibilities."

Article 6 says those who receive a subsistence allowance are given food three times a day and the amount and calories of the food are determined by the institution managers in line with the rules set by Article 5.

Vegans and vegetarians

The statement also pointed out that the lack of regulations regarding the diet of ill prisoners and prisoners who prefer a specific diet leaves the matter to the discretion of prison administrations.

"As well as causing different practices among prisons, this situation generally prevents healthy, adequate and quality nutrition of prisoners.

"Unfortunately, vegan and vegetarian prisoners have difficulties at almost all the prisons. Prisoners who have a chronic disease also face difficulties getting diets that are suitable to their diseases.

"In the current situation, prisoners' access to fresh vegetables and fruits is quite difficult and difficulties are encountered in obtaining food from prison canteens."

The rights groups called on the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice to fulfill their responsibilities.

The statement was released by the following groups: Civil Society in Penal System (CİSST) Association, Contemporary Lawyers' Association (ÇHD), Human Rights Association (İHD) İstanbul Branch, İstanbul Dentists' Chamber, İstanbul branches of the SES union, İstanbul Medical Chamber, Lawyers for Freedom Association, Society and Law Studies Association, Association of Families of Convicts and Arrestees (TAYAD), Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV). (AS/VK)