Turkey converts former Diyarbakır prison into Democracy and Memory Center

Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy inspected the former Diyarbakır Prison and announced its conversion into the Diyarbakır Memorial Museum and Culture Center. The project, launched under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s vision, will transform the former jail into a “memory space” that highlights the darkness of the coup era and promotes democracy, the rule of law and human‑rights awareness for future generations.

The restored complex will house a museum, library, exhibition halls, a theatre and multipurpose rooms, operating as a 24‑hour cultural and artistic hub. Ownership of the site was transferred from the Justice Ministry to the Culture and Tourism Ministry, with restoration and construction work beginning in 2024 and final exhibition preparations underway for a 2025 opening. Ersoy said the centre will “serve as a powerful memory space that does not forget the darkness of the coup periods and conveys the importance of democracy, the rule of law and human rights to future generations.”