‘Freedom of Speech in Prison’ Book by CİSST Association

Click to read the article in Turkish

"Prisoners are entitled to freedom of speech as everyone else."

The book "Freedom of Speech in Prison" by Berivan E. Korkut and Hilal Başak Demirbaş from the Civil Society in the Penal System (CİSST) has been released as an e-book from the Turkey's Center for Prison Studies (TCPS) Library. The book has a Turkish version as well.

The book also comprises an article by IPS Communication Foundation Chair Nadire Mater entitled "Freedom of Speech in Prisons in the 1980s", which she also presented at the Freedom of Speech in Prisons Workshop.

An article by Gamze Yenitürk from the Görülmüştür Initiative entitled "Breaking the Isolation: Bridging the Inside and the Outside" and an article by Seda Öz from the Dışarıda Deli Dalgalar Initiative entitled "Problems of Communication in Prisons" can also be found in the book.

Consisting of four chapters and seven subtopics, the book focuses on:

2017-2018 Freedom of Speech in Prison Report, General Overview of 2017-2018, State of Emergency and the Current Situation, Methodology and Evaluation, Restrictions on Lawyer Visits, Restrictions on Periodical and Non-Periodical Publications, Restrictions on Letters, Restrictions on Visits and Telephone Calls, Restrictions on Radio and TV Broadcasts, Restrictions on Petitions, Restrictions on Social and Sport Activities and Courses.

In the "Recommendations" chapter at the end of the book, suggestions regarding what can be done to overcome these restrictions have been listed.

'Prohibitory practices without legal basis expanding'

In the preface to the book, the current situation is recounted as follows:

"The prison population in Turkey has been significantly increasing every day. As a result of this increase, rights violations have grown exponentially and therefore bringing the problems in prisons onto the public agenda has become more crucial than ever.

"Since 2017, the restrictions on prisoners' rights have been increased due to new laws that have entered into force and the implementation of articles that had not been implemented previously in order to restrict prisoners' rights and partial freedom, while the scope of prohibitory practices without legal basis has also been expanded.

"The prison system has been adversely affected by this process, which has led to serious deprivation of freedom of speech within prisons. During 2018, these restrictions have steadily increased.

"Even though the problems regarding freedom of speech in prisons have recently been brought onto the public agenda mostly with reference to incarcerated journalists, they have still not been discussed sufficiently.

"It is essential to emphasize that prisoners are entitled to freedom of speech as everyone else and that the conditions for accessing information without any restrictions should be established." (AS/SD)

* You can reach the Turkish version of "Freedom of Speech in Prison" book here, and the English version here.