İSTANBUL - Critisizing the oppression and ill-treatment of prisoners, the relatives of ill prisoners said enemy law is applied in prisons.

 

Violations in prisons in Turkey and the cities of the region are sky rocketing recently. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the basic rights of political prisoners have been suspended. Sports, workshops and social activities of the prisoners were banned, and their right to contact visits was blocked for almost 2 years. The prisoners, especially seriously ill prisoners, are either not treated or given an appointment for months later to prevent their treatment. Despite serving their sentences, the prisoners are not released on the grounds of not being in good behavior.

 

The relatives of ill-prisoners and prisoners who are not released despite having served their time in prison, came to Ankara on January 4. The prisoners coming from Van, Diyarbakır, Şırnak, Batman, Mardin, Yüksekova, Siirt, Çukurova and İstanbul to Ankara, attended the group meeting of HDP. Police attacked the families who demanded to march to the Ministry of Justice from the Parliament. The families later presented İHD, TİHV, CHP, DEVA, Gelecek Partisi, Saadet Partisi, EMEP and many other non-governmental organisations with the reports they prepared. The families called for awareness regarding the situation of the ill-prisoners.

 

TYRANNY

 

Cemile Çiftçi, sister of seriously ill prisoners Selim Çiftçi beign held in Ümraniye Type L Closed Prison told that the treatment of her brothers is prevented. Stating that the right to healthcare of prisoners is being prevented, Çiftçi told that the attitude of the prison administration regarding the prisoners can be described as tyranny. Çiftçi said: "Prisoners are tortured in prisons. They lose their lives in there. The government is afraid of the struggle of the families of political prisoners. We are oppressed, because we're Kurdish. The government oppressed the Kurds because it has no tolerance against the Kurdish. What was done to us in Ankara, in front of the Ministry of Justice stems from the hostility against Kurds. We will not give up our fight against oppression no matter what. Everyone should unite in this struggle."

 

'GIVE US OUR ILL RELATIVES SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM TREATED'

 

Kumru Akgül, sister of Erdak Özel being held in Tekirdağ Type F Closed Prison told that her brother is being held in solitary confinement for 16 years. Underlining that the Forensic Medicine Instititude gave him a report that says he can remain in prison, Akgül said: "My brother is very ill. He can not remain in prison. They should give us our relatives so that we can get them treated if they are not getting them treated." Calling on to the families of the ill prisoners, Akgül emphasized the importance of voicing the demands of the ill prisoners."

 

'THEY WOULD BE ASHAMED IF THERE WERE JUSTICE'

 

Sahliha Yılmaz, mother of Agit Yılmaz being held in Bandırma No 1 Type T Prison told that she is fighting for the rights of all prisoners, not just her son. Underlining that they don't want their loved ones to come out of prisons in coffins, Yılmaz said the treatment of the political prisoners can only be explained by enemy law. Yılmaz said: "They put the Kurdish youth in prisons because they can not compete with them. We never wanted war. All we have ever wanted was peace. My son is in prison for 10 years now. There's nothing left that they haven't done to him. This goes for all political prisoners. They attack us like the enemy in our demonstrations. This shows that there is no justice in Turkey. They would be ashamed of our white scarves if there was justice."

 

'DON'T FEAR'

 

Emphasizing that the Kurds must now revolt against all these oppressions, Yılmaz said: "Kurds from all ages must revolt. Don't fear. Our children are in prison for the liberation of the people. They are resisting in there, we must be resisting out here for them."