Report on İzmir and Aydin Removal Center Visits (July – September 2024)

In addition to being the largest host country for refugees, with over 3.5 million Syrians under temporary protection, Turkey also sits at a strategic crossroads on the irregular migration route between Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. Over the last two decades, Turkey has developed one of the most extensive migration detention systems in the world, largely with financial support from the European Union as part of migration management agreements, including the EU-Turkey Statement of 2016.

Currently, Turkey operates more than 30 removal centers with a combined capacity of over 20,000 individuals. These centers are used to detain migrants and asylum seekers awaiting deportation or the resolution of their legal status. In addition to these designated facilities, the Turkish authorities also use ad hoc detention sites at border crossings, airports, and police stations to hold individuals temporarily. While Turkey is obligated under international law, such as the 1951 Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights, to uphold basic standards of humane treatment, concerns have been raised regarding the living conditions and the treatment of detainees in these centers.

This report provides a detailed analysis based on several visits conducted to two removal centers – the İzmir Harmandalı Removal Center and the Aydın Removal Center – between July and September 2024, aiming to provide legal aid to the migrants held in these facilities as well as assessing the conditions of detention, the treatment of detainees, and the fairness of deportation procedures. Through this report, we aim to highlight the urgent need for reforms in Turkey’s migrant detention system to ensure that it aligns with national and international obligations concerning the rights of migrants and asylum seekers.