3 Turkish Prisoners Die of Coronavirus
Three Turkish prisoners have died from the
coronavirus, Turkey's justice minister said Monday as he announced the first
cases of convicts diagnosed with the disease.
A total of 17 convicts in five open prisons have
contracted the virus, Abdulhamit Gul told reporters in Ankara.
"Three of them unfortunately died during their
treatment in hospital," AFP quoted him as saying.
Some convicts are sent to open prisons towards the
end of their sentences to serve out the remainder of their punishment as the
state prepares them for release.
They are given permission to leave for temporary
periods and must accept work, according to the Civil Society in Penal System
Association.
Thirteen of the sick convicts are in a good
condition in hospital, Gul said, but one prisoner with chronic diseases remains
in intensive care.
He did not give any further details on where the
prisoners were but insisted the necessary precautions had been taken in every
jail.
"There are no positive cases in closed
prisons," he added.
Turkey has nearly 57,000 COVID-19 infections and
around 1,200 have died, according to health ministry figures published Sunday.
The confirmation of positive cases came before
Turkish lawmakers were expected to continue debating Monday a draft law to
release 90,000 inmates from overcrowded prisons.
Human rights groups have criticized the proposal
because it will not include political prisoners charged under Turkey's
controversial anti-terrorism laws.
