Human rights abuses, in particular the use of unlawful strip-searches, are becoming a common practice in the Batman M Type Prison, the Yeni Yaşam news website reported, citing the Human Rights Association (İHD).
Batman branch İHD Co-chair Rümeysa Kaya highlighted a pattern of increasing reports of torture and ill-treatment received by the İHD.
The “M Type” classification of Turkish prisons indicates a medium-security facility.
Inmates said they undergo strip-searches upon entry, during transfers and within the prison. According to Kaya, sometimes strip-searches reach levels of sexual violence.
Inmates also complained about standing for long periods of time for obligatory body counts and required military-style reporting during phone calls and visits.
Other issues reported include difficulty in accessing clean water and sanitation supplies, and restrictions on communications.
Inmates said letters written in Kurdish are often intercepted, defaced or not delivered. Phone call and visitation rights are reportedly conditioned upon compliance with arbitrary procedures, and inmates are often not allowed to exercise those rights.
According to the annual report of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV), instances of physical abuse, arbitrary disciplinary actions and degrading treatment at Turkish prisons, long notorious for the torture and ill-treatment of inmates, have seen a significant rise, particularly since a failed coup in 2016 and a subsequent state of emergency. The report details numerous cases of physical and psychological abuse, exacerbated by overcrowding.
