The uproar continues over Turkish prisoner Taner Tolga Tarlacı, who appears to have given not just one, but two interviews from inside the Central Prison.
As it turns out, the first video appears to have been recorded on August 14, lasts 55 minutes, and was posted on the online platform on August 15, while the second, lasting 58 minutes, was recorded on August 23 and published the same day.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Shorter videos from the interviews in question were also posted by the same account.
Here are the two videos:
Meanwhile, back in 2023, it appears that the Turkish national had filmed a video from inside a patrol car while handcuffed.
It should be noted that the Turkish man, who is serving a heavy sentence, is being held in Wing 10 of the Central Prison, serving a prison sentence for rape, deprivation of liberty for the purpose of sexual abuse, and threats of violence, with a 35-year-old woman as the victim. The Turkish man’s crimes were committed in April 2022 in Paralimni, and the sentences were handed down in 2023 by the Permanent Criminal Court sitting in Famagusta.
The Prison Department’s Response
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 E, Donald Trump, and Elon Musk to secure his release or transfer to Turkey.
SEE ALSO: The Central Prison as a Studio: Turkish Convict “Stars” in a Podcast, Claims to Be in Contact with Erdogan, Trump, and Musk
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 did not possess or use 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.
