Silivri, once a tranquil getaway town west of Istanbul known for its lavender and yoghurt, has become synonymous with the mega-prison complex that now holds Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a key rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. İmamoğlu was sentenced to 20 months for insulting a public official, adding to the corruption charges he already faces. The prison has come to symbolise the lengths Erdoğan will go to maintain power.
Opened in 2008, Silivri was hailed as a modern 'campus' covering nearly one million square metres, with nine separate prisons and a capacity of 11,000 inmates. It featured amenities such as TVs and radios in cells, over 2,000 security cameras, retina scanners for staff, and recreational facilities including an indoor sports centre and football pitches. The complex was initially seen as a symbol of Turkey's rapid modernisation under Erdoğan.
Silivri soon became the venue for high-profile trials targeting Turkey's secular establishment, including generals, journalists, and lawyers accused of plotting against the government. Hundreds were tried in a repurposed gym hall, and many saw this as a historic reckoning with the military's past dominance. However, by 2012, the verdicts were marred by accusations of fabricated evidence and doctored documents, revealing the trials as a tool to suppress opposition.
In Erdoğan's second decade, a political crackdown intensified following a failed coup, leading to mass arrests of activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens. Turkey's prison population soared from 60,000 in 2002 to over 350,000 today, with Silivri now housing 22,000 inmates—double its capacity. Conditions have deteriorated, with overcrowding, reduced meals, and shared mattresses. Former inmates describe a system stretched to its limits, where even a flower found in a courtyard is confiscated by guards.
