Legal Visits in Prison – Lawyer Services for Detainees and Convicts in Turkey

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Professional Legal Consultation for Inmates in Turkish Prisons

At Cindemir Law Office, we offer professional legal consultation services for individuals who are detained or serving sentences in Turkish penal institutions. We ensure that our clients’ right to legal representation is fully respected, in accordance with national legislation and international human rights standards.

Our law office provides assistance in arranging lawyer visits to prisons, preparing defense documents, communicating with family members, and pursuing legal remedies both in Turkish courts and before international bodies such as the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Legal Framework for Lawyer-Prisoner Meetings in Turkey

Our services are provided in strict compliance with the following key legislation:

  • Regulation on the Visitation of Convicted and Detained Individuals (Hükümlü ve Tutukluların Ziyaret Edilmeleri Hakkında Yönetmelik)

  • Law No. 5275 on the Execution of Sentences and Security Measures

  • Criminal Procedure Code (CMK) No. 5271

  • European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)

Meeting with Detainees Without Power of Attorney (Article 19)

Detainees in Turkey are entitled to meet with their defense lawyer (müdafi) at any time, without requiring a power of attorney. These meetings are conducted in private, sound-proof settings where conversations cannot be overheard but may be visually monitored by prison staff for security purposes.

  • Up to three lawyers may attend such meetings during the investigation phase.

  • Correspondence between a detainee and their lawyer is not subject to censorship or monitoring.

Meeting with Convicted Prisoners (Article 20)

Convicted individuals can meet with their lawyers during working hours on weekdays. The conversation is held in a secure but private setting, where the content cannot be heard, though it can be visually observed for safety.

  • Documents and communication related to legal defense cannot be reviewed by authorities.

  • However, if the convict is found to be communicating with a terrorist or criminal organization through their lawyer, a prison enforcement judge may allow a prison official to attend the meetings and inspect any documents involved.

Convicted individuals without a formal power of attorney may meet with a lawyer up to three times.

Regulation on Visitation of Convicted and Detained Individuals

This regulation (published on 12.03.2020) outlines the conditions, procedures, and rights related to all forms of visitation, including lawyer visits. Key highlights include:

  • Open visit procedures for lawyers and notaries, ensuring that the conversation is confidential (not overheard) but visually monitored.

  • Restrictions on simultaneous visits with more than one client, even if authorized by power of attorney.

  • Legal basis for interventions in communication if there is substantiated evidence of abuse of lawyer-client privilege in organized crime or terrorism cases.

  • Foreign lawyers’ visitation rights subject to reciprocity, power of attorney requirements, and coordination with Turkish-registered lawyers.

  • Provisions for trainee lawyers to attend only if accompanied by a registered attorney.

This regulation ensures that both security interests of the penal institution and fundamental defense rights of the prisoner are protected.

Additional Provisions

  • Lawyers Banned from Practice (Article 21): May not visit any clients in prison during the term of the ban.

  • Notary Visits (Article 22): Inmates can meet notaries during working hours with official supervision.

  • Trainee Lawyers (Article 23): Can only visit with a licensed attorney.

  • One-on-One Rule (Article 24): No group visits allowed even with multiple clients.

  • Foreign Lawyer Visits (Article 25): Subject to international agreements and Turkish bar coordination.

Our Legal Services for Inmates and Their Families

We provide the following legal support services:

✅ Scheduling and organizing lawyer visits in prisons across Turkey
✅ Drafting power of attorney and legal correspondence
✅ Defending clients in criminal investigations and trials
✅ Translation and document submission for ECHR cases
✅ Notary coordination and document certification
✅ International legal support with multilingual lawyers