Justice Ministry has responded to a parliamentarian inquiry by CHP İstanbul deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu, announcing that they will build 207 new prisons and 103 courthouses with the next 5 years.

180 courthouses in 10 years

Some of the highlights from the response is as follows:

* Within the next 5 years, 207 new correction facilities are planned

* As of January 2014, 668 premisses are used for justice services

* Between 2003 and 2013, the construction of 180 justice palace buildings and 81 correction facilities have been complated

* The construction of 34 justice palaces and 41 correction facilities is underway

* The bidding of 12 justice palace buildings and 11 correction facilities is underway

* The project drafting of 57 justice palace buildings and 24 correction facilities is complete

700 SEGBİS systems

The ministry also added that they have been working on installing 700 new SEGBIS (Audiovisual Communications Systems) in justice palaces and correction facilities to manage statements, witness hearings and other court procedures.

Taken into investment program in 2012, the systems were already installed in 443 locations.

Integration with Europe

The ministry response also cited that they would integrate with the law system in Europe via e-Justice Communication via Online Data Exchange and they have been closely working with the 16 following countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Holland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Hungary. (AS/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.