A foreign prisoner is someone who does not have the citizenship of the country in which they are imprisoned. Among these people, there are also those who have legal permanent residence status in the country in question. These are immigrants who have moved to that country for the purpose of long-term residence, to form new societies or to join existing ones. However, the category of foreign prisoners also includes people in various situations, such as tourists, people in transit or those who are temporarily in the country for business or personal affairs, as well as illegal immigrants, asylum seekers and those involved in transnational crimes. In this regard, crime and criminal justice statistics, including prison statistics, do not distinguish between different groups and use only the general category of ‘foreigners. 9 People who are undocumented or have an irregular legal status often do not have equal access to legal services and basic rights. These individuals face a higher risk of detention due to their uncertain situation and the fact that illegal immigration – also known as irregular entry or stay – is considered a crime in some countries and can result in sanctions or measures. The number of foreign prisoners is increasing all over the world in relation to these situations. Migration is becoming an increasingly important reason for this increase.
