Families of inmates at Gaziantep L-Type Prison in southeastern Turkey said the supply of water has been restricted over the past three days, worsening conditions in an already overcrowded and hot facility, the TR724 news website reported.
According to the families, the prison initially cut off hot water three days ago, forcing inmates to fill plastic bottles with water and leave them in the sun to warm the water up for showers. Now, with cold water also cut off after midnight, it has become impossible for inmates who wake up for morning prayers to wash themselves and fulfill their religious obligations.
With summer temperatures in Gaziantep reaching up to 40°C (104°F), the lack of hot water makes it extremely difficult for inmates to shower and maintain basic hygiene.
Families of prisoners have taken to social media to call on the Ministry of Justice to urgently improve prison conditions. However, the ministry has yet to make an official statement on the matter.
Water cuts in Turkish prisons are not uncommon. There is currently a restricted supply of water in Çorum L-Type Prison. According to reports, a prisoner’s relative said that water is supplied for only a few hours a day, that there was not running water most of the time and that they heard scabies outbreaks had begun in some wards. They expressed fear of catching contagious diseases in the absence of hygienic conditions.
These water shortages, combined with inadequate sanitation, are particularly alarming given the chronic overcrowding in Turkey’s prison system.
The overcrowding in Turkey’s prisons has been a growing issue since 2005, with prison populations swelling annually. According to Ministry of Justice data, Turkey’s prisons now operate at 20 percent overcapacity, with the country leading Europe in both total prison population and incarceration rates per capita.
Overcrowding has led to dire conditions in many prisons, including limited living space and inadequate sanitation. Human rights advocates warn that these conditions increase the risk of disease outbreaks, mental health crises and human rights violations, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women and children.
