Turkey’s prison system has come under renewed scrutiny following the recent arrests of opposition figures, journalists, academics, and trade unionists. Turkey’s prison crisis reflects the government’s increasingly hardline approach to political dissent, as well as the strain placed on the national budget.
The country’s incarceration rate has surged dramatically in the past six months, with prisons now operating well beyond their capacity. As of July 1, 2024, Turkey’s 403 prisons housed 342,526 people, including 295,064 convicts and 47,462 detainees. The official capacity of these prisons was 295,328, indicating an already overcrowded system. However, by February 3, 2025, the prison population had ballooned to 392,456, comprising 335,799 convicted prisoners and 56,657 detainees, an increase of nearly 50,000 inmates in just six months.
The rising prison population has significantly increased government expenditures. Healthcare costs for inmates have soared 3.3 times, reaching 233 million TL. In 2024, Turkey spent 98.7 billion TL on its prison system. The monthly prison budget grew from 7.3 billion TL in January 2024 to 10.9 billion TL in January 2025. If this trend continues, total prison expenses could reach nearly 150 billion TL by the end of 2025.
According to official figures, the prison population consists of 371,435 men, 17,131 women, and 3,890 children, including 1,155 convicted minors and 2,735 detained minors awaiting trial. Additionally, Turkey’s prisons now house 25,000 university graduates, 1,841 master’s degree holders, and 286 individuals with PhDs.
Mervan Gül, a former AKP MP from Siirt, previously praised the construction of a new prison in Siirt, describing it as an economic opportunity. Gül highlighted that the Siirt Prison project, with an 819 million TL budget and a capacity of 986 inmates, would contribute significantly to the local economy.
The Ministry of Justice has announced plans to construct 11 new prisons across Turkey by 2027. In 2025 alone, 1.2 billion TL has been allocated for these projects, with total expenditures expected to reach 23.5 billion TL by 2027. Despite these expansion plans, existing projects have faced severe budget overruns. Kütahya Domaniç Prison, initially planned years ago, remains incomplete, with costs increasing eightfold. Giresun Şebinkarahisar Prison, initially budgeted lower, has now escalated to 11 times its original cost.
