AGIRÎ – Burhan Kartal, who visited his brother at the high-security “well-type” prison in Adana, said: “Once inside the prisons, the mask they wear falls. Special war policies are being applied in prisons.”
Reports of human rights violations in Turkish prisons continue to grow. Since 2021, the introduction of S and Y-type prisons has imposed intensified isolation on prisoners. Known among the public as “well-type” prisons, these facilities enforce strict measures aimed at isolation prisoners, breaking their will, undermining their psychological health, and controlling their identity.
One of the prisons under scrutiny is Adana Suluca High-Security Prison No 1. Kartal, who travelled from Agirî (Ağrı) to visit his brother Metin Kartal (41), detailed the harsh conditions inside. Metin Kartal was captured injured during a military operation in 2002 and has been held in several prisons, including Wan (Van), Oltu, Gumushane, and Xarpêt (Elazıg), before being transferred to the Adana “well-type” prison.
Speaking about his visit on October 29, Kartal said: “I have visited this prison before. Its conditions are worse than those imposed after the 1980 military coup in Turkey. Perhaps not physically, but psychologically, the conditions are far more severe.”
‘FAMILIES ARE BEING INTIMIDATED’
Kartal described being subjected to five separate security checks before entering the prison, designed to deter families from visiting their relatives. Even inside the visitation area, he said, prisoners and families are placed in separate booths with a guarded space in between, preventing interaction. Attempts to bypass these restrictions are recorded, and further disciplinary measures can follow. Social activities such as sports are also banned.
He added that the so-called S-type prison, commonly referred to as “well-type” by the public, has “cells filled with small cage-like rooms under constant camera surveillance, with no access to outdoor areas. Prisoners remain confined 24 hours a day. Political prisoners are deliberately placed next to ISIS-affiliated detainees, causing additional harassment.”
‘THE MASK FALLS IN PRISONS’
Kartal also raised concerns about food and basic living conditions. “The policies enacted by the state have been reflected even more harshly in prisons. Prisoners are completely isolated. This shows their hypocrisy—they hide behind a mask, but once inside, it falls. Special warfare policies are applied throughout prisons, particularly in Adana.”
Kartel stressed that public awareness and immediate action, calling on human rights organizations and the Parliament’s Human Rights Commission to investigate conditions on the ground. “Steps must be taken against the policies implemented in prisons,” he said.
MA / Omer Akin