DİYARBAKIR - 16 journalists held in Diyarbakır Prison reported that the wards where women are held, are monitored by surveillence cameras.

 

The indictment against JINNEWS director Safiye Alagaş, Dicle Fırat Journalists' Association Co-chair Serdar Altan, Xwebûn Newspaper Editor-in-Chief Mehmet Ali Ertaş, Mesopotamia Agency (MA) editor Aziz Oruç, journalists Zeynel Abidin Bulut, Ömer Çelik, Mazlum Doğan Güler, İbrahim Koyuncu, Neşe Toprak, Elif Üngür, Abdurrahman Öncü, Suat Doğuhan, Remziye Temel, Ramazan Geciken, Lezgin Akdeniz and Mehmet Şahin hasn't been prepared yet even though the journalists are held in prison pre-trial for the last 83 days. Journalists held in Diyarbakir No. 1 and No. 2 High Security Prisons are charged with "membership in a terrorist organisation" on the grounds of their programs and interviews with news sources.

 

Ülkü Şahin, lawyer of the Journalists' Union of Turkey (TGS), met with imprisoned journalists. Stating that the health status of the journalists is good, Şahin stated that the journalists called for solidarity. Noting that the prosecutor's office has not yet prepared an indictment against the journalists yet, Şahin shared the journalists' statements about the problems experienced in prison.

 

Şahin said the following about the problems conveyed to him:

 

" * They were exposed to high temperatures in the wards due to the fact that the air temperatures remained at 40 and above during the summer and the ceiling of the prison was laid with iron sheet.

 

* Aziz Oruç, Suat Doğuhan and Abdurrahman Öncü, who are being held in the High Security Prison No. 1, stated that refrigerators have not been provided since July, that they could not drink cold water despite the high temperatures and that the products they obtained from the canteen immediately go bad. They stated that the applications made to the prison administration regarding this matter were not answered. 

 

* It was reported that social activities were not allowed, and this situation prevented them from socializing.

 

* The journalists also stated that they are not referred to the hospital when they need to in time.

 

* The female journalists held in the women's prison stated their ward is being monitored with cameras from every direction including the door to the bathroom and that they are handcuffed with two handcuffs when they are brought out of the prison.

 

* They said that canteen prices are exorbitant and that this situation is economically frustrating for them and their families.

 

* They complained that their letters were confiscated, that the letters they sent are not being delivered, and that the cost of letters was too high.

 

* They said that while electricity bills should not be reflected to the prisoners, they received very high bills.

 

* They stated that the newspapers Yeni Yaşam, Evrensel and BirGün were allowed, and that the given newspapers were delivered in the evening. They stated that they could not watch TV channels other than the channels allowed by the prison administration, and their applications were left unanswered."