Inmates at a prison in northwestern Turkey are being held in wards built for seven people but which are now housing up to 45, while some wait as long as 13 months to access medical care, the Bold Medya news website reported.
The report focuses on Ferizli Prison in Sakarya province, about 150 kilometers east of Istanbul. The facility opened in 2005 as an L-type prison, a high-security model built around smaller, cell-based units.
Wards originally intended for seven inmates now hold between 45 and 50 people. With cells far beyond capacity, prisoners sleep in common areas that are turned into makeshift dormitories at night.
A relative of an inmate said beds are put “in every available space, including stairwells,” adding that the overcrowding has taken a toll on both physical and mental health.
The relative said inmates with respiratory illnesses struggle to breathe in the confined spaces, and that even those without prior conditions have developed new health problems. Limited access to toilets, difficulty maintaining hygiene and lack of space for daily activities were also cited.
Relatives also described long delays in accessing healthcare. Some inmates wait up to 13 months to be seen at the prison infirmary.
The relative also said that in some cases doctors prescribe medication without examinations or diagnostic tests.
In recent years NGOs and international organizations have reported a number of problems related to prison conditions in Turkey, including overcrowding, poor hygiene, lack of access to proper medical care and lack of adequate nutrition.
The total prison population in Turkey has reached 420,904, exceeding official capacity by 38 percent. This represents a 4.4 percent increase over the last six months and a sevenfold rise since 2002, when the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power.
While the AKP has been advertising its large-scale construction plans for new prisons, the authorities have generally been ignoring complaints and reports regarding the unfavorable conditions in the existing prisons.
