Enhancing the Disciplinary and Reward Procedures for Prisoners in Türkiye

The Project on Enhancing the Disciplinary and Reward Procedures for Prisoners in Türkiye aimed to contribute to a safer society that provides full protection of the rights and dignity of persons deprived of their liberty. The main beneficiary was the Directorate General for Prisons and Detention Houses of the Ministry of Justice.

As such, the Project was expected to develop and ensure unified application of a standardised and efficient discipline and reward system that contributes to prisoners’ rehabilitation through numerous activities implemented under the following three components:

revising and strengthening the legislative framework governing the discipline and reward procedures for prisoners,
producing advanced tools to facilitate the unified application of discipline and rewards system in the country and,
enhancing the capacities of prison directors and staff, as well as other stakeholders involved in the execution of criminal sanctions, on the application of discipline and reward procedures.

The key standards in support to the actions undertaken with this Project were set in the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) and its case law, European Prison Rules as well as the standards and recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT).

The project started on 01 November 2022 and ended on 31 October 2025, with an overall budget of 1.500.000 €. It was funded by the Council of Europe Human Rights Trust Fund, Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

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PROJECT NEWS

Back The findings of the assessment mission on discipline and reward procedures for prisoners in Türkiye discussed with the stakeholders

Nino LAPACHI

Modified 3 Years ago.

@ Council of Europe

The assessment report, following a mission to Türkiye from 30 January to 2 February 2023, aiming at identifying the needs for improvement in the discipline and reward procedures for prisoners, was presented to the main project’s beneficiary and stakeholders during a working group (WG) meeting organized in Ankara on 16–17 March 2023.

The WG brought together a total of 29 participants, comprising of representatives from the relevant departments of the Directorate General of Prisons and Detention Houses, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye in its capacity of National Preventive Mechanism, Ombudsman Institution, civil monitoring boards, as well as enforcement judges and a prosecutor, prison directors and staff.

Two international consultants facilitated the meeting and shared the main findings and recommendations from the assessment mission. The participants engaged in fruitful exchanges with view of further enhancing the regulatory, institutional and operational frameworks governing the disciplinary and reward procedures for prisoners. The assessment report is planned to be finalized in May 2023, following the input from the WG members, and will serve as basis for the legislative review process under the project.

The WG meeting was organised within the scope of the Project on “Enhancing the Disciplinary and Reward Procedures for Prisoners in Türkiye” co-funded by the Human Rights Trust Fund of the Council of Europe, Norway, Belgium, Türkiye and the Netherlands.

Türkiye 20 March 2023