February 28, 2012 - 12:58 AMT
Over 2000 foreigners kept in Turkish prisons

Some 2,310 foreign nationals are currently serving time behind bars in Turkey either as convicts or arrestees, according to information obtained from the Justice Ministry.

Among all foreign nationals imprisoned in Turkey, Iranians top the list with 477 convicts and arrestees, while Turkmenistan was second with 265 prisoners. Georgia was third with 165, Syria was fourth with 122, while Nigeria was fifth with 111, according to reports.

Bulgaria, Romania, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, South Africa and Iraq followed the top five, with each country having more than 40 nationals in prison in Turkey.

Some 71 stateless individuals with no bonds of citizenship to any country are also serving time in Turkish jails, Hurriyet Daily News reported.