ADANA - Drawing attention to the health issues of Kurdish politician Aysel Tuğluk, Attorney Mehtap Sert said: "It is very obvious that enemy law is applied on Aysel Tuğluk. The reason why she is not released is her contribution to the women's struggle."

 

According to the data of the Ministry of Justice as of December 31, 2021, there are 38 thousand 43 convicts and 297 thousand 726 prisoners are held in Turkish prisons. According to the list of ill prisoners of the Human's Rights Association (İHD) released on March 2021, there are 1.605 ill prisoners in prisons, 604 of whom are in serious condition. 59 ill prisoners lost their lives in 2021 inside the prisons or right after being released from prison.

 

ATK REPORTS PREVENT RELEASES

 

One of the seriously ill prisoners is Kurdish politician Aysel Tuğluk, who has been held in Kocaeli Kandıra No. 1 F Type Closed Prison since 2016. Tuğluk, whose health problems started after the racist attack on the funeral ceremony of her mother, on September 13, 2017, was diagnosed with dementia. Despite the hospital's report that she "cannot remain in prison", the Forensic Medicine Institute (ATK) argued that Tuğluk could maintain her life alone in prison. Tuğluk and other ill prisoners are not released on the grounds of the reports given by the ATK, despite their serious illness and the hospitals' reports that say they cannot stay in prison. Lawyer Mehtap Sert who handle women's and children's cases, evaluated the contradictory situation in the judicial system.

 

INCREASED VIOLATIONS OF RIGHTS

 

Criticising the ATK, Attorney Mehtap Sert said: "The reports of the ATK is not taken into consideration by the court even if there is nothing left to be done for the ill prisoner. Even though there are obligations regarding the right to life of those deprived of their liberty, these obligations are not fulfilled. There is increased violations of rights in prisons, especially regarding access to health care. Enemy law is being applied since the 1980's. The violations of rights in prisons have become data, examined without human feelings. The political power is benefitting from this fact. The right defenders and Non-governmental Organisations must work harder for the application of the legal process in these issues."

 

THE 'PURPLE LINE' OF POLITICS

 

Underlining that Tuğluk is the 'purple line' of the politics, Attorney Sert said: "She is the speaker of most of the disadvantaged groups in Turkey. She is a woman, she is an Alevi and she is Kurdish. She has been the voice of the women all her life. I think not releasing her is a part of the general attitude towards politica prisoners in Turkey. The same thing was done to Mehmet Emin Özkan. Enemy law is being applied on Aysel Tuğluk. This is very obvious. The reason not to release her is her contribution to the women's struggle. The reason not to release her that she is a pioneer."

 

 

MA / Hamdullah Yağız Kesen