Violations of rights in prisons increase on a daily basis in Turkey. While the number of prisoners exceeds thousands, sick prisoners are not treated on grounds of the pandemic according to the reports of Human's Rights Association (İHD). One of these prisoners is 30-year-old Civan Boltan. Boltan who was captured wounded following an armed clash with the soldiers in April 2012 in Bingöl, was sentenced to life imprisonment with the accusation of 'disrupting the unity and territorial integrity of the state' and an additional 95 years for other charges against him. While the doctors gave a report proving he can not survive in prison, Forensic Medicine Institude (ATK) decided otherwise.

 

APPLICATION TO THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS 

 

Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD), Society and Law Research Foundation (TOHAV), Human Rights Association (İHD) and Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV) applied to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe (EC UK) regarding the life imprisonment sentence of PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan and detainees Hayati Kaytan, Emin Gurban and Civan Boltan. The Committee of Ministers put the decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on its agenda. The committee will consider the application made on 30 November-2 December.

 

HIS LIFE IS AT RISK

 

Stating that his brother was detained with life threatening injuries and lost his left eye as a result of torture under custody, Hagır Boltan said: "His right eye has a vision lost 80%. He has a piece of shrapnel in his brain. Doctors can not intervene because of this. He lost his right arm during a clash."

 

HE IS NOT BEING TREATED

 

Referring to the doctor's report that states he can not survive in prison, Boltan said: "The ATK decided that he can remain in prison because he is a political prisoner and because he is Kurdish. Now they are not treating him as a result of this ATK report. But we know that he can not meet his needs alone under prison conditions.

 

ARBITRARY DISCIPLINARY PENALTIES

 

Referring to the violations of rights in prisons in the last years, Boltan said on the phone that the wards of political prisoners were constantly raided and arbitrary disciplinary punishments were given to the prisoners. Boltan pointed out that the legal remedies applied in this regard have also become meaningless, and stated that all of the decisions made are against the prisoners.

 

CALL FOR AWARENESS

 

Emphasizing that sick prisoners are victimized due to violations of their rights and that they are not treated, Boltan said, “Everyone should be sensitive about sick prisoners. Boltan called on everyone to do their best to prevent sick prisoners from leaving the prisons in coffins.

 

MA / Mehmet Güleş