ABSTRACT
Turkey entered the COVID-19 pandemic with overcrowded prisons and one of the highest incarceration rates in Europe. In response to the pandemic, a large proportion of the population was released from prisons and probation supervision after legislation that amended the Law on the Execution of Sentences and Prison Sanctions was quickly passed in March 2020. This legislative change was presented as a quick response, aiming to reduce overcrowding and the spread of the virus. However, it had been in preparation for over two years. Further, to contain the spread of the infection, visits and other activities that require physical contact were suspended, and physical conditions in prison have not been improved in any significant fashion. New technological solutions, that were in development prior to the beginning of the pandemic, that would reduce the need for physical contact (such as video calls and electronic counting of prisoners) have now been launched and are being tested for future use.
