Justice Ministry denies inmate used mobile phone for prison podcast

Nicosia, Cyprus. The Justice Ministry denied that Turkish inmate Taner Tolga Tarlaci illegally used a mobile phone to record a podcast interview from Central Prisons after video and audio clips circulated online.

Interview clips

Tarlaci, a former contestant on the reality show Survivor, is serving an 18-year prison sentence for rape, unlawful detention with intent to sexually abuse a woman, and making threats against her. The offences were committed in Paralimni in April 2022.

Video and audio clips published on August 14 and 15 showed Tarlaci speaking from prison with a person he identified as a Turkish journalist making a podcast. He said his conviction was unjust and claimed he had contacted entrepreneur Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump about his case.

The clips also suggested that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was aware of the case. Reports said Tarlaci had asked to be extradited to Turkey.

Ministry response

Turkish Cypriot news websites claimed, without providing evidence, that the recording had been made and leaked using a mobile phone. The Justice Ministry rejected the claim.

It said the communication had been approved and took place in a supervised, approved location. Tarlaci “did not possess or use a mobile phone” and had no uncontrolled access to the internet, the ministry said.

The approval covered communication with a declared person abroad rather than a media interview, it added. According to the ministry, the recording appeared to have been made abroad by that person without the knowledge or approval of the Prisons Department.

The ministry said prison procedures were being reviewed and would be strengthened where required.

Online calls for prisoners

Prisoners are entitled to two online calls per month through the Microsoft Teams system, the ministry said. It described the arrangement as particularly important for foreign inmates whose relatives live abroad and cannot visit.

philenews attempted to contact Justice Minister Costas Fytiris about the incident but was informed by the ministry that a statement would be issued instead.

The news outlet also said it found no verbatim comment by Tarlaci during the interview claiming that he or fellow inmates use mobile phones, despite a report suggesting he had made such a claim. Other Turkish Cypriot media also carried no direct quote to that effect, reporting only assertions by their own writers.

Prison security systems

Although the phone-use claims were unsubstantiated, they renewed debate over mobile phone use by inmates and the system intended to block devices at Central Prisons.

Since taking over the justice portfolio, Fytiris has said resolving the issue is a priority. Following an expanded meeting on January 20, the ministry said implementation of a mobile-phone jamming system was progressing, with timelines of three to six months set for that and related goals.

In an interview with Politis on Sunday, July 12, Fytiris said two of three electronic systems aimed at preventing mobile phone use and the smuggling of illegal items or substances by drone had already been installed. The mobile-signal jamming system was still expected to follow.

Appearing on ANT1’s Mera Mesimeri programme on July 31, Fytiris said the situation had improved but was not fully resolved. He said the problem would be eliminated once the third system, which cuts mobile phone signal inside the prison, was installed, and expected it to be in place by the end of the year.