The online communication between Taner Tolga Tarlacı, a Turkish inmate at the Central Prison known for his participation in the reality TV show “Survivor,” and a person located abroad was authorized. This was stated in an announcement by the Ministry of Justice, in an attempt to explain why the prisoner serving a long sentence appears in a video posted on YouTube participating in a podcast and calling on Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Donald Trump, and Elon Musk to secure his release or transfer to Turkey.
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The Ministry of Justice emphasizes that “prisoners’ communication with the outside world is a recognized right.”
“Under the established procedure, they are allowed to make two online communications per month via the official Microsoft Teams system. This opportunity is particularly important for foreign detainees whose relatives live abroad and are unable to visit them.”
Regarding a news report concerning a specific inmate and the publication of related audiovisual material, the Ministry of Justice clarifies that the communication was authorized and took place in a designated area, under the required supervision of a staff member.
“The detainee neither possessed nor used a cell phone and did not have unrestricted access to the internet. The authorization pertained to communication with a designated person abroad and not to a journalistic interview. It appears that the recording was made by the person abroad, without the knowledge or approval of the Department of Prisons.”
As noted, the Department of Prisons is reviewing existing procedures to further strengthen them where necessary.
