In its report on the September 2001 visit, published on 24 April 2002, the CPT assessed the treatment of persons held in police stations, prisons (including F-type establishments and Imralı Closed Prison) and reformatories for juveniles.The response to that report is published at the request of the Turkish authorities .

The Turkish Government’s response was finalised on 20 September 2002. Consequently, it does not reflect the most recent developments on some of the issues raised by the CPT in its report.

As a result of legislative amendments which entered into force on 11 January 2003, important improvements have been introduced concerning two subjects of particular interest to the CPT: access to a lawyer for detained persons suspected of offences falling under the jurisdiction of the State Security Courts, and criminal proceedings in respect of ill-treatment .

Further, thanks to a Circular issued by the Minister of Justice on 10 October 2002, all prisoners in F-type prisons can now participate in the regular conversation periods for groups of up to ten persons, irrespective of whether they already take part in another communal activity.

Both the CPT’s report on the September 2001 visit and the response of the Turkish Government are available on the CPT’s website (http://www.cpt.coe.int).