While the prisons were emptied in terms of judicial crimes with the execution regulation passed by the parliament on 13 July 2023, the Turkish Ministry of Justice continues the construction of new prisons.

The S-Type prisons, which were first opened in 2021, are in fact revised F-Type in terms of isolation practices.

There are six S-Type prisons across Turkey, in Bodrum, Iğdır, Manavgat, Antalya, Samsun and Kırşehir. According to the Turkish Ministry of Justice's statement in January, 20 new prisons will be opened this year and it is estimated that there are new S-Type prisons among them. In the process of increasing deportation of political prisoners to S-Type prisons, ÖHD Istanbul member, lawyer Destina Yıldız spoke to ANF about the S-Type prisons.

Cells without ventilation

Stating that S-Type prisons bear great similarities with F-Type prisons in terms of physical structure, and that both prisons were established for the purpose of isolation, lawyer Destina Yıldız said: "My clients say that the prisons are three-storey and that the prisoners are taken to 6 other single-storey and single-person cells at the top, there are no ventilation cells.

At the bottom, there are 7 triple cells. The ventilation of one of them is used for the occupants of the single room and the unventilated cell above. The three-person cells at the bottom are no different from the F-type in terms of physical structure. The open gym, unlike the F-types, is between the blocks, so it is impossible to see outside. It is like a sports field surrounded by four walls."

Yıldız continued: "Besides the existing S-type prisons, there are some new ones that will be opened and are under construction. Y-type, S-type, high-security prisons are to be opened in the near future."

Heavy isolation

Lawyer Destina Yıldız emphasized that the lack of ventilation in single cells in S-Type prisons, which has a prisoner capacity of 552 people, constitutes an extra isolation for prisoners receiving aggravated life sentences.

Yıldız added: "S-type prisons have a history of only two years. My clients say that the prison administration are trying to take a tough stance. Prisoner profiles have also started to change. In Antalya S-Type prisons, the number of political prisoners was higher compared to the judicial ones. There are S-type prisons, which are currently in operation and will be opened."