Establishing a Direct Complaint Mechanism to Strengthen Prisoners’ Rights in Türkiye (PID090)

1pm – 1.30pm GMT+03:00, 29 October 2025 ‐ 30 mins

Thematic Workshop Sessions

The Turkish General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Centers has introduced a significant innovation to strengthen prisoner rights and enhance transparency. A new system allows sentenced prisoners to communicate directly with the General Directorate without any intermediary or institutional interference. Through a secure, independent communication cabin inside the prison, inmates can submit complaints via confidential video calls. Prison staff are entirely excluded from this process. The mechanism eliminates issues such as lost petitions and delayed responses, improving access to justice. It also adds a new layer of oversight and transparency to complement existing monitoring systems. Türkiye’s pioneering approach may serve as a model for other countries, reaffirming the commitment to uphold human dignity within the criminal justice system.
 
Moderated by Rob Jeffreys, Board Member, ICPA, United States