Prison population exceeds the population of 34 provinces: 22 new prisons to be built

In Turkey, where a wide range of people from politicians to journalists, business people to students are held in prisons, the prison population has increased rapidly as detention periods have lengthened. According to a report by Deniz Ayhan from Sözcü, 6 more new prisons will be opened in the next 2.5 months. 9 more prisons will become operational in 2026, 5 in 2027, and 2 in 2028. Thus, the number of prisons will rise to 424 by the end of 2028.

CAPACITY EXCEEDED, 3 PEOPLE IN ONE BED

There are currently 420 thousand 904 detainees and convicts in 402 prisons with a capacity of 304 thousand 964 across the country. This means a capacity surplus of 115 thousand 940 people. In many prisons, two or even three people are staying in one bed. The number of people housed in prisons has surpassed the population of 34 provinces in Turkey.

198 NEW PRISONS DURING THE AKP ERA

According to Ministry of Justice data, 198 new prisons have been built since 2016 during the AKP government. A record was broken with 38 new prisons in 2016 and 32 in 2021. The area per inmate has also gradually narrowed. The area, which was 23.64 square meters in 2023, has decreased to 18.97 square meters this year.

BILLIONS OF LIRAS SPENT ON NEW PRISONS

The costs of the new prisons are also drawing attention. 897 million TL was spent for the Niksar Prison, 1 billion 423 million TL for the Niğde Prison, 1 billion 108 million TL for the Osmancık Prison, 1 billion 642 million TL for the Muş Prison, and 1 billion 71 million TL for the Bartın Prison. The Marmara Prison in Silivri, which is the largest prison in Europe with an area of 1 million 413 thousand square meters, was completed in 2005 and cost 78.8 million dollars. The cost of the Diyarbakır Prison in 2011 was recorded as 67 million dollars.

News Source: 12punto