Numerous human rights organisations in Turkey, including the human rights association (IHD) and Amnesty International, are calling for immediate protection measures for prisoners in view of the Corona pandemic. In a joint statement, the organizations point out that approximately 300,000 people are in Turkish prisons and that the prisons are extremely overcrowded.

For this reason, they demand that all prisoners on remand and convicts who are in prison solely for exercising their freedom of expression and organisation be released unconditionally. Prisoners on remand who have not yet been sentenced should be released with reporting requirements, as should mothers with small children and all prisoners who belong to the risk group due to their age or chronic illness, demand the organisations.

Human rights organisations also demand education about the virus in prisons and the provision of cleaning products.

The Turkish Ministry of Justice has not yet drawn up emergency plans for the numerous prisons, despite the spread of the corona virus. Only prison visits have been suspended for the next two weeks and all court hearings have been postponed, except in urgent cases.