Women photographers exhibition 2016
LuganoPhotoDays
Buket Ozatay
Behind The Bars
This series was taken in the women ward of central prison in North Nicosia with
the permission fromMinistry of Internal Affairs. The project work lasted about ten
months (2014-15) and it is the first documentary photography work on prisons in
Cyprus.
The reason why I concentrated on a project which has a high emotional impact and
effect was a curiosity towards the lives of these women. In other words, I wanted to
create an awareness about the women prisoners’ life in prison and demonstrate
their everyday life behind bars. I want the society to meet with the women behind
the bars through my photographs and create awareness in the community.
During my visits to the prison number of the women prisoners in the ward was around
12 to 19.
Female inmates were in prison for crimes such as murder, drugs, theft, fatal
traffic accidents, forgery of documents etc.