Silivri: The Dark Abode of Political Pressure in Modern Turkey

17.07.2025 | Politics

The Silivri prison becomes an emblematic symbol of President Erdogan's authoritarian policy, where opposition political figures such as Istanbul's mayor Ekrem Imamoglu are subjected to systematic judicial harassment.

Снимка от Krzysztof Popławski, Wikimedia Commons, под CC BY 4.0

The once peaceful seaside town of Silivri now functions as a large-scale penitentiary complex that embodies the drastic transformation of the Turkish state system under the leadership of Recep Erdogan.

Located on nearly 1 million square meters, the prison is a true "mega-campus" with a capacity of 11,000 people, but currently housing nearly 22,000 prisoners. The complex has impressive infrastructure - 500 apartments for staff, its own mosque, market, restaurant, and even an elementary school.

The symbolic significance of Silivri goes beyond its physical parameters. It has become a metaphor for political repression, where opposition voices are systematically suppressed. Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu is a telling example - sentenced to 20 months in prison for insulting a government official.

Statistics vividly illustrate the scale of changes: while in 2002 around 60,000 people were housed in Turkish prisons, today their number reaches an impressive 350,000. According to a Council of Europe report, Turkey holds more prisoners than the other 45 countries combined.

Prison conditions are extremely harsh. Overcrowding is reported - sections with a capacity of 21 people house around 50 prisoners. Food is scarce, and mattresses are used in shifts. There are also numerous unconfirmed allegations of physical violence by guards.

Silivri has become so notorious that it has created its own expression in the Turkish language - "Silivri soğuk" (the cold of Silivri), which is used as a half-joking, half-threatening warning between friends.

The prison symbolizes not just a penal institution, but an instrument of political pressure through which Erdogan's regime demonstrates its unwavering resolve and readiness to suppress any opposition activity.