Six LGBTQ inmates in pretrial detention at Turkey’s Aksaray Prison are being held in single-person cells and denied access to medical care, under conditions their lawyers say violate Turkish law and amount to systemic discrimination, the BirGün daily reported.
The six individuals, identified only by the initials H.S., M.B., R.D., S.E., E.K. and G.Y., are awaiting trial but have been kept in single-person cells for extended periods. Prison officials cite “security concerns” as the reason for not housing them with others, but lawyers and rights groups say the practice results in de facto isolation based solely on their sexual orientation and gender identity.
The detainees say they are confined alone in their cells nearly all day, with extremely limited access to communal spaces. While other inmates reportedly use the outdoor yard from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., those in single-person cells are allowed only one hour of outdoor time daily.
“This is not protective custody; it’s discriminatory segregation,” attorney Yağmur Çağla Demirtaş, who represents G.Y., said. “They are being treated as if they’ve already been convicted of the most egregious crimes.”
Although Turkish law presumes detainees innocent until proven guilty, the six report living under harsher conditions than many convicted prisoners. Requests for a shared ward, often used in other systems to safely house vulnerable groups, were denied by the prison administration.
Several of the detainees also have serious medical conditions. R.D. is undergoing cancer treatment and has a doctor’s report stating that he should not be confined alone since he requires assistance with daily activities. H.S. suffers from asthma and chronic bronchitis, and M.B. has orthopedic issues that affect mobility. The detainees say that earlier disciplinary actions have also been used to restrict their access to medical care.
E.K. has launched a hunger strike in protest of the prison conditions. Others report being denied access to basic necessities and services.
Demirtaş said G.Y. still has not been given a pillow and relies on worn blankets left behind by other inmates. “They have no access to kitchen or laundry facilities. These are basic rights under the penal code, and they are being denied,” the attorney said.
This case comes amid growing scrutiny of conditions in Turkish prisons, where rights groups have long documented overcrowding, inadequate healthcare, arbitrary disciplinary practices and a lack of oversight. Inmates across Turkey frequently report being denied access to medical treatment, subjected to isolation and facing reprisal for filing complaints. Critics argue that Turkey’s prison system often fails to meet international standards, particularly in its treatment of political prisoners, minorities and marginalized groups such as LGBTQ individuals.
