Turkey has introduced new legislation allowing conjugal visits as a ‘reward’ for inmates exhibiting good behavior. Inmates will be allowed to spend one night every three months with their spouse and children in a specially designated room. The new practice went into effect on March 31.
A prison in Muş will be the first to implement the conjugal visit practice and yesterday the prison revealed the four rooms especially set up for prisoners to be able to comfortably spend a night with their spouse and children to the press for the first time ever. The rooms are independent from the wards and are designed to have the same level of comfort as a hotel room. Each room contains a double bed, a closet, refrigerator, television and even an attached bathroom and shower.
The new procedure went into effect on Sunday at the Muş E Type Closed Penitentiary, which houses 620 inmates, 17 of which are women. Muş Chief Public Prosecutor Hasan Kaya explains that inmates who exhibit good behavior will be allowed to spend one night with their spouse and children every three months. "We are the first prison to begin implementing the procedure," states Kaya.