Restoration work has begun at Diyarbakır Prison, whose ownership was transferred to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism in Diyarbakır. The prison located in the central Bağlar district, southeastern Türkiye, began construction in 1972 and opened on July 4, 1980.
After the military coup on Sept. 12, 1980, it was transferred to military administration and used as a "Martial Law Military Prison." Following the coup, the prison became notorious for torture and mistreatment.
The prison, which has been the subject of many documentaries and books, was transferred to the Ministry of Justice on May 9, 1988, and was used as a penal institution from that time onward.
During his visit to the city on July 9, 2021, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced: "We will soon vacate Diyarbakır Prison, which for a long period was associated with oppression, torture and inhumane treatment, and turn it into a cultural center for your service," after which the initial works began.
Following the protocol signed between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on Oct. 11, 2022, for it to be used as a "Museum and Cultural Area," the prison was transferred to the Diyarbakır Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism, and its sign was removed on Oct. 24, 2022.
Due to its structural features and significance in the city's memory, Diyarbakır Prison was registered as a "Cultural Asset to be Preserved" by the Regional Conservation Board on Jan. 25, 2023.
Following this designation, the projects for its conversion into a museum and its restoration were meticulously carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism during 2023-2024.
As part of the project, consultations were held with citizens who were imprisoned between 1980-1984, and discussions were conducted with witnesses of that period.
Additionally, publications, visuals and sources were researched to accurately convey the events that occurred in the prison after the Sept. 12 military coup.
A Consultation Board established under the Ministry ensured that the process was carried out with sensitivity.
Following the tender conducted by the Diyarbakır Directorate of Surveying and Monuments, the 49,200-square-meter (529,584-square-foot) prison site was handed over to the contractor on Sept. 17, 2024, and restoration work began.
Once the restoration is complete, the Diyarbakır E-Type Prison complex will serve not only as a memorial museum but also as a venue for various cultural and artistic events.
In addition to the memorial museum, the project will include libraries, educational workshops, temporary exhibition spaces, a multipurpose hall and an archaeological exhibition area. Furthermore, open-air event spaces, green landscaping and a parking lot are also planned.
It is expected that the restoration work will be completed by September of next year.