SIRNAK - Derviş Kılınç, who was imprisoned for 30 years in prison, stated that although he was happy to be released, he was sad for the friends he left behind and said, "Everything feels so unfamiliar."

 

Derviş Kılınç, who was held in prison for 30 years as a result of the State Security Courts (DGM) trials, was released on September 17. Kilinc, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for "being a member of a terrorist organisation" in 1992 in Silopi district of Şırnak, was released from Diyarbakır High Security Prison No. 1 and regained his freedom. Kilinc, who is now 55 years old, was arrested   at the age of 25, was held in prisons in Şırnak, Diyarbakır, Trabzon, Kandıra and Bartın. Having regained his freedom 30 years later, Kılınç told the Mesopotamia Agency (MA) about his time in prison.

 

JOY AND SORROW INTERTWINED

 

“I am sad to leave my friends behind,” said Kılınç, and continued, "Sorrow and joy walks hand in hand in prison. When you get out of prison after 30 years, you see a different world outside. You live alienated in prison. Its a big void. Everything feels unfamiliar. This has an effect on you. But you get over it after a while. You see big changes in the society, in daily life. This is what makes things feel unfamiliar. That 30 years took a lot from me like feelings, life.."

 

'THE THING WHICH EFFECTED ME THE MOST WAS THAT NO ONE WAS WAITING FOR ME IN FRONT OF TH PRISON'

 

Stating that he is concerned for the sick prisoners and sad, Kılınç said: "The thing which effected me the most was that there was no one waiting for me in front of the prison when I was released. No one was told I was going to be released. Not even my family. The thing I missed the most in prison was my village and my childhood. I will never forget those four walls. You hang on to life inside of those cold walls. This weighs on you. A person is deprived of a very fluid life in prison. There are good sides of it though, like experience..There were sick prisoners in our ward. They were forced to dishonourable applications and they rejected treatment for it. They should have been released. There were friends who can not meet their basic needs."

 

Stating that they had discussions about the political, social and economic debates and the attitude of the government and the opposition in prison, Kılınç said, “One of the issues we discussed was the role and mission of the opposition. If the opposition plays its role and mission and considers the social interests of the people, it is strong enough to change everything. It can give direction to Turkish politics. But those kind of people are witheld from being involved in politics."

 

'EFFORTS ARE NOT ENOUGH'

 

Mentioning the sick prisoners, Kılınç said: “Many calls have been made for sick prisoners, but these efforts are not enough. Human rights organizations, bar associations and institutions should keep sick prisoners on the agenda and make an effort more than they are doing now.”

 

MA / Zeynep Durgut