İZMİR - Gökhan Gümüş, who was arrested in 2011 when he was the Dersim Representative of the closed Azadiya Welat newspaper and was released yesterday, said: "There will definitely be conditions for freedom, I am not hopeless."

 

Gökhan Gümüş (35), who was arrested on charges of "being a member of a terrorist organisation" in 2011 and sentenced to 15 years and 3 months in prison while he was the Dersim Representative of the Azadiya Welat newspaper, which was closed with the Statutory Decree, was released yesterday after 11 years in detention. Gümüş, who was released from Bafra Type T Prison in Samsun, returned to Elaziğ, where his family lived.

 

'THE KEY OF SOLUTION IS IN IMRALI'

 

Speaking about the prison process, Gümüş said: "The isolation policies implemented in İmralı Prison have spread to all prisons. Gümüş said: "Until the isolation is ended, this process that has been put into effect on the oppressive practices and peoples in prison will not stop. The upcoming process is an important process for establishing peace. We are going through a process that will determine the fate of not only Turkey but also the Middle East. It is the Kurdish political movement that will determine this process. There were great struggles in this process, and this should be continued even more. The isolation in Imrali must be broken; otherwise, the crisis will continue for both Turkey and the peoples of the Middle East. The key of solution is in Imrali."

 

THE STATUS OF THE PRISONS

 

Stating that the situation of ill prisoners has taken a "grave" situation, Gümüş said: "There has been an increasing pressure in prisons in the last period. Ill prisoners are prevented from getting their right to health and meeting their own needs. Ill prisoners should be released as soon as possible and have free access to treatment. This is a conscientious issue. At the same time, burning, adjournment and arbitrary practices against prisoners continue. It is desired to make the prisoners weak in prisons; however, there is a strong-willed stance taken by the prisoners on this issue. It is clear that the recent events in the prison are not independent of the political process. It is happy and exciting to be outside after a long time. I am saddened by leaving his imprisoned friends behind. There will definitely be conditions for freedom, I am not hopeless. There are great opportunities. The struggle for peace and democracy will ensure democracy and freedom."