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.