Sending Money, Letters and Phone Calls to an Inmate in Türkiye
You can stay in touch with a relative held in a Turkish prison in three main ways: money for their canteen account, phone calls to approved numbers, and letters. Money is not handed to the inmate in person — it is paid into their spending account inside the prison, usually by post or bank transfer. Phone calls run on a set schedule to a list of approved numbers, and an inmate can usually call family abroad. Letters are allowed, but staff may read and check them. Because the exact method, limits and rules differ from one institution to the next, confirm the current details with the prison or your lawyer before you send anything.
How do I send money to an inmate in Türkiye?
Money you send goes into the inmate's canteen account (the prison shop is called the kantin). This is a spending account inside the prison that your relative uses to buy food, drinks, phone credit and everyday basics. You do not hand cash to the inmate, and in most cases you cannot give cash at the gate either.
The money is generally deposited into the institution's own system — usually by post (a postal money order sent to the prison) or by bank transfer to the account the institution uses. When you pay, you normally need the inmate's full name and their prison file or registration number so the money reaches the right person.
Here is how the three main ways to stay in touch compare at a glance.
| Channel | How it reaches your relative | Confirm with the prison first |
|---|---|---|
| Money | Paid into their canteen (kantin) account, usually by post or bank transfer | The exact method and any limit or cap |
| Phone calls | The inmate calls approved numbers on a schedule | Which numbers can be added and how |
| Letters | Sent by post; staff may read and check them | Language rules and what content is allowed |
What are you trying to do first?
How does the prison telephone system work — can they call family abroad?
An inmate does not receive incoming calls. Instead, they are allowed to make calls themselves, on a set schedule, to a list of approved numbers that the prison has registered in advance. Your number usually has to be added to that list before your relative can call you.
In most cases an inmate can include a family number abroad on their approved list, so calls to another country are generally possible. Calls are made from prison phones, often using the inmate's canteen credit, and they are usually limited in length and frequency.
Can I send and receive letters — and will staff read them?
Yes, you can write to a relative in prison, and they can write back. Letters travel by ordinary post to the prison's address, with the inmate's full name and file number on the envelope. But you should assume that staff may open, read and check what you send — correspondence in prison is not private in the way a normal letter is.
Because letters are reviewed, the institution generally needs to be able to understand the language. A letter in a language the prison cannot check may be delayed, or you may be asked to have it translated. Writing clearly and simply helps it get through faster.
Letters also must not contain prohibited content — for example anything that looks like a coded message, plans to break rules, threats, or material the law does not allow. Keep letters personal and supportive, and avoid discussing the details of the ongoing case in writing; those conversations belong with the defence lawyer.
What can I send in to the prison, and what is not allowed?
The safest rule is simple: send money and letters through the official channels, and check everything else with the institution first. Prisons control what comes in tightly, and a parcel that breaks the rules will be refused — or can create problems for your relative.
The table below is a general guide only. The precise list, the days items are accepted, and the way things must be delivered are all set by each prison.
| Usually possible (through official channels) | Not allowed |
|---|---|
| Money paid into the canteen account | Cash handed directly to the inmate |
| Approved letters and family photos | Phones, SIM cards, any electronics |
| Books or publications, when the prison permits and only through official means | Anything that could be a weapon or an escape tool |
| Certain clothing or basic items, if and when the institution allows | Drugs or medicines (medication is handled by the prison doctor) |
| Items delivered on the prison's set days and in its set way | Food or parcels the institution has not approved, or anything hidden or coded |
I can hand cash to my relative when I visit, or leave it at the gate.
Money is not handed to the inmate in person, and in most cases you cannot give cash at the gate either. It is paid into their canteen (kantin) account inside the prison, generally by postal money order or bank transfer, using their full name and prison file number.
I can call the prison and ask to be put through to my relative.
An inmate does not receive incoming calls. They make outgoing calls themselves, on a set schedule, only to numbers already registered on the prison's approved list — so your number has to be added before they can reach you.
A letter is private, so I can write freely about the case.
Correspondence in prison is not private in the way a normal letter is. Under Law No. 5275 and its regulations staff may open, read and check letters, and content that is prohibited or looks coded can be held back. A letter in a language the institution cannot review may be delayed or need translating.
Our own lawyer at home can simply go and visit him.
Not on their own. Access to an inmate runs through the lawyer-meeting rules in Law No. 5275, Article 59, and in practice it is a lawyer registered with a Türkiye bar who can meet your relative; a foreign lawyer's participation is restricted and is arranged alongside a Türkiye-bar lawyer. Defence meetings are in principle confidential. Instruct a Türkiye-bar lawyer and let them confirm what your own lawyer can and cannot do.
Can our consulate help us keep in contact?
Yes — the detainee's own consulate or embassy can be an important channel, especially early on. A foreign national held in Türkiye has the right to have their consulate notified and to communicate with and be visited by consular officers.
Consulates do not act as your lawyer and cannot get someone released. But they can often help in very practical ways: confirming where your relative is held, checking on their welfare, explaining local procedures, and sometimes helping pass basic messages or a list of local lawyers. If you are abroad and cannot travel, the consulate is a good first point of contact alongside a lawyer.
You can read more about these protections in our guide to the lawyer and consular rights of a detainee in Türkiye.
What if we don't speak Turkish?
You can still stay in contact — but language is the single biggest practical hurdle for families abroad, so plan for it. Prison staff generally work in Turkish, official rules and forms are in Turkish, and letters may need to be in a language the institution can review.
A few things help. For letters, write simply and be ready to provide a translation if the prison asks. For the criminal case itself, remember that a person who does not speak Turkish has the right to a free interpreter during the criminal process under the Criminal Procedure Code (Law No. 5271, the CMK) — that right protects them in custody and before the court, not the day-to-day admin of contact.
If you also need to sort out longer-term status while your family member is in Türkiye, our pages on residence permits and immigration may help.
How can a lawyer help us set up and confirm contact?
A lawyer is often the fastest, most reliable bridge to your relative — because they can go where you cannot and get the exact rules for the specific prison. Rather than reading a general article and hoping it applies, you get the current method, the current limits, and confirmation for that institution.
In practice, a lawyer can:
- Confirm which prison holds your relative and how to send money to the canteen account there;
- Help get your phone number added to the approved list, in the right format;
- Explain the institution's rules on letters and items so nothing is refused;
- Meet your relative in person and carry messages and reassurance both ways.
Our team works with families of foreign nationals held in Turkish prisons, and you can read about our criminal defence work or our guide to visiting a relative in a Turkish prison for the next steps. If your relative is at the Maltepe campus, our guide to Maltepe prison for foreign nationals is a good place to start.
This article is general information about Turkish law and is not legal advice; for advice on your specific situation, consult a qualified lawyer.
Sets the telephone right and the rules on correspondence and lawyer meetings, including the protected contact between a remand prisoner and defence counsel.
Gives a person who does not speak Turkish the right to an interpreter during the criminal process, in custody and before the court.
Requires the detainee's consulate to be notified without delay and allows contact and visits between the detainee and consular officials.
What to have ready before you contact a lawyer or the prison
The rules on money, calls and letters are set institution by institution, so the useful preparation is gathering the details that let someone check them for that specific prison.
Frequently asked questions
How do I actually get money to my relative in a Turkish prison?
You pay it into their canteen (kantin) account inside the prison, not into their hand. It is generally deposited through the institution's system by post or bank transfer, using the inmate's full name and prison file number. Confirm the exact method and any spending limit with that specific prison or your lawyer before you send it, as the details vary and change.
Can an inmate in Türkiye phone family who live abroad?
In most cases, yes. Inmates make outgoing calls on a schedule to a list of pre-approved numbers, and a family number abroad can usually be added to that list. The telephone right exists under Law No. 5275, but it can be restricted for inmates classed as dangerous or convicted of organised-crime or terror offences.
Will prison staff read the letters I send?
You should assume so. Correspondence in a Turkish prison is governed by Law No. 5275 and its regulations, and staff may open, read and check letters. A letter may need to be in a language the institution can review, or you may be asked to have it translated, and it must not contain prohibited or coded content.
Can I bring in food, clothes or a phone for my relative?
A phone or any electronics are strictly forbidden and trying to pass one in is a criminal matter. Some items such as certain clothing, books or basics may be allowed, but only through official channels and on the institution's set days. Always check the current list with the specific prison, because it differs from place to place.
We are abroad and don't speak Turkish — how do we even start?
Two contacts help most: the detainee's own consulate and a local lawyer. Under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963, Article 36, your relative has the right to consular notification and contact, and the consulate can confirm where they are held and check on their welfare. A lawyer who speaks your language can then confirm exactly how to send money, add your phone number, and pass messages.
Can a lawyer visit my relative to pass on a message from us?
Yes. Under Law No. 5275, Article 59, a lawyer with a power of attorney can meet the inmate, and their defence meetings are confidential. For a remand prisoner held before trial, contact with defence counsel cannot be prevented or restricted. A foreign lawyer may take part only alongside a lawyer registered with a Türkiye bar who holds a power of attorney.
