All Removal Centres in Türkiye are under the authority of PMM and each centre is managed by a director.[1] The LFIP makes no explicit provision on conditions of detention of applicants for international protection. However, Article 4 of the Removal Centres Regulation provides that “The establishment, operation and operation of the Centres and the fulfilment of the services to be provided under this Regulation shall be carried out according to the following principles and procedures:
- Protection of the right to life;
- Human-centred approach;
- Observing the best interests of the unaccompanied child;
- Priority to applicants having special needs;
- Confidentiality of personal information;
- Informing the persons concerned about the operations to be performed;
- Social and psychological strengthening of the housing;
- Respect for the freedom of beliefs and worship of the people
- Providing services to the residents without discrimination based on language, race, colour, sex, political thought, philosophical belief, religion, sect and similar reasons.”
Removal Centres are required to provide among others: accommodation and food; security; emergency and basic health care services; psychological and social support.[2]
In 2017, in line with the monitoring provisions of the Regulation,[3] PMM instructed all the mayoralties managing a Removal Centre to set up dedicated Migration Commissions comprising of experts, academics, civil society, officials from health and education institutions and municipality representatives, tasked with regular visits to the centres. The composition of the commission depends entirely on each mayoralty. Generally, Türk Kızılay is present in these commissions.[4] There is insufficient information regarding 2022 – with the exception of conventional media news – to determine whether these commissions are active.[5]
Material conditions in detention
Conditions in Removal Centres vary from one facility to another. One stakeholder reported that her Somalian client was treated as a Syrian and all her documents were issued in Arabic due to a lack of Somalian-language interpreters in Harmandali Removal Center.[6]
See the previous updates of the AIDA country report for past observations of detention conditions in different centres in Turkiye.
Staff, health care and special needs
Detainees shall be provided “urgent and basic health care services which cannot be afforded by the person concerned”.[7] Access to psychosocial support service is also possible.[8]
See the previous updates of the AIDA country report for more information on the general conditions about staff, health care and special needs in removal centers.
[1] Article 11 Removal Centres Regulation.
[2] Article 14(1) Removal Centres Regulation.
[3] Article 16 Removal Centres Regulation.
[4] Information provided by a stakeholder, February 2018.
[5] PMM, ‘On Üçüncü Göç Kurulu Toplantısı İçişleri Bakanımız Süleyman SOYLU Başkanlığında Gerçekleştirildi’, 20 October 2022, available in Turkish at: https://bit.ly/3pG0kKn.
[6] Information provided by a stakeholder, May 2023.
[7] Article 14(1) Removal Centres Regulation.
[8] Article 14(2) Removal Centres Regulation.