Justice Minister Ergin: 127 prisoners transferred from Urfa Prison

In a press statement on recent developments concerning Urfa prison fire and current situation of Turkish prisons, Minister of Justice Sadullah Ergin stated that 127 ordinary prisoners have been transferred to other prisons since Tuesday morning.

Minister Ergin referred to AKP government’s amendments on prisons and noted that they made self-criticism about the issue. Ergin expressed his regrets for deaths and hundred percent occupancy rate in Turkish prisons. “I would submit my resignation if that could help to resolve the prisons problem in Turkey”, said Minister of Justice as an answer to NGO and political parties’ call for his resignation.

Remarking that new prisons have been built to bring the over-capacity problem in prisons to an end, Ergin noted that six thousand prisoners in close prisons will be transferred to open prisons.

Ergin denied the statements which argued that the riot in the prison broke out when the prison administration removed the air propeller in wards.

Thirteen prisoners burnt to death and five others were wounded in Urfa Prison as political prisoners in C15 ward started a riot and set beds and blankets alight Saturday night. The riot in the prison continued on Monday as juvenile prisoners set beds and blankets on fire. Fourteen prisoners got burnt in the fire which was taken under control in a short time.



ANF / ANKARA

ANF NEWS AGENCY