Skip to content
News from Turkey

Türkiye Plans New Prison Reform Law as Inmate Population Exceeds Capacity by 109,000

jaill

The Grand National Assembly of Türkiye (TBMM) is preparing to discuss a new prison reform law aimed at easing overcrowding and simplifying the sentence execution (infaz) system after official figures showed inmate numbers far above capacity.

According to Ministry of Justice data, as of August 1, 2025, Türkiye’s prisons—designed to hold 304,964 inmates—currently house 413,780 convicted and remanded individuals, exceeding capacity by roughly 109,000.

Key Elements of the New Law

  1. Expansion of the July 31, 2023 Regulation:
    Those whose sentences were finalized after the COVID-19 era amendments will now also benefit. The earlier regulation granted parole to inmates with five years or less remaining on their sentence and early release to those within three years of moving to open prisons.

  2. Uniform Sentence Execution Rates:
    To eliminate inconsistencies, all crimes would have the same infaz rate. A global model—serving half of the sentence (½)—is under consideration, with three-quarters (¾) applied for certain serious offenses.

  3. Rehabilitation-Focused Approach:
    Criteria for “good conduct” will be redefined, probation will be simplified, and release will be facilitated for inmates deemed ready for reintegration into society.

Global Models Under Review

  • Norway (Halden & Bastøy Models): Education and vocational programs achieving low recidivism rates.

  • Netherlands (Community-Based Execution): Electronic monitoring and community service to reduce prison numbers.

  • Germany (Step-by-Step Execution): Part of the sentence served in closed prisons, the rest in open facilities or semi-freedom.

  • Canada (Restorative Justice): Mediation between offender and victim, focusing on damage repair.

  • Belgium (Short Sentence Reform): Prison sentences under three months replaced with community service.

If enacted, the reform would represent one of Türkiye’s most comprehensive changes to penal execution law, balancing prison population management with social rehabilitation goals.

Related articles