Turkey Has Second Highest Rate of Incarceration in the OECD

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According to the data shared by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) for May 2019, Turkey has the second highest rate of incarceration among OECD countries after the US.

Underlining that the number of prisoners and convicts is gradually increasing in the prisons of Turkey, Republican People's Party (CHP) Vice Chair and İstanbul MP Onursal Adıgüzel has shared the answer given to his application to the Presidency Communication Center (CİMER).

Accordingly, there are currently 114 penal institutions under construction across Turkey. While the total capacity of these institutions is 73 thousand 448, there are also 23 penal institutions that are currently in tender phase.

'There are 353 penal institutions'

The application of the MP to the CİMER has been responded by the Directorate General of Prisons and Detention Houses affiliated with the Ministry of Justice.

Accordingly, as of July 2019, there are currently 353 penal institutions throughout Turkey with a total capacity of 218 thousand 950. While 75 percent of these 353 institutions are open prisons, 7 percent of them are women's open prisons, 9 percent women's closed prisons, 7 percent children's closed prisons and 4 percent are children's detention centers.

The Directorate has also shared the information that the construction of 27 penal institutions was completed in 2018 and 2019. The total capacity of these new prisons has been announced as 16 thousand 566.

In the response of the directorate, Adıgüzel's questions regarding the costs of penal institutions that are under construction and in tender phase have been left unanswered.

Referring to the 114 prisons currently under construction, Adıgüzel has reminded the public that according to the May 2019 data of the OECD, Turkey has the second highest rate of incarceration after the US.

'Building prisons is not something to boast of'

Underlining that "Turkey has turned into a country where arrests have turned into extrajudicial executions," Adıgüzel has said, "Journalists are held arrested for months without appearing before the judge just because they cater to people's right to be informed."

Concluding his remarks, Adıgüzel has said, "Building prisons is not something to boast of, one can only be ashamed of it. (...) Building more prisons is not the solution. The solution is to reinstate the indepence of the judiciary, which has been brought to the ground." (AÖ/SD)