Jailing over cell phones a violation of human rights, says commission

The commission, which recently investigated the state of military prisons, found there were many inmates who were being kept in jail for using a cell phone during their military service. The commission’s report says the privates were jailed on the charge of “disobeying orders” for carrying or using a cell phone.

The report also called for a partial removal of the cell phone ban in barracks, saying the use of cell phones should be allowed under certain regulations. It also said the adoption of new legislation that dictates disciplinary investigations into individuals violating the cell phone ban instead of criminal investigations was a positive development, saying it had come after an earlier report prepared by the commission.

According to the report, as of Jan. 10, 2011 there were 25 military jails and prisons in Turkey, with a capacity to hold 2,443 inmates. As of the same date, 731 people were being kept in these prisons, 190 of whom had already been convicted. A total of 541 were under arrest pending trial. According to these figures, about one-third of military prisons in Turkey are full. Privates account for 482 of those under arrest, while 178 of those who have been convicted of a military crime are privates.