ISTANBUL - Stating that all his rights were blocked, imprisoned journalist İbrahim Karakaş said: "A disciplinary investigation was launched against us because we celebrated Newroz."

 

İbrahim Karakaş, employee of Yeni Yaşam Newspaper, held in Adana Kürkçüler Type F Closed Prison, conveyed the rights violations, arbitrary practices and pressures they were subjected to through a letter he sent to the Mesopotamia Agency (MA). Stating that all legal and other attempts against all arbitrary practices in prisons were left inconclusive, Karakaş criticized the unresponsiveness of the public and said: "The violations of the public are increasing day by day due to arbitrary practices. Our right to treatment, which has reached a vital dimension, has actually disappeared. Due to the hostile approach of the prison due to our purely ideological, Kurdish identity and political captivity, our hospital referrals have been de facto blocked for almost 2 years because we do not accept the imposition of 'intraoral search'. Although it is stipulated in the law that general checks should be made every 3 to 6 months, we are not taken to the hospital in any way, even for our chronic and severe ailments, let alone our checks in this routine process."

 

‘KILLING POLICY OVER TIME’

 

Noting that many prisoners in the same ward have been in prison for 25 to 30 years, they have serious chronic illnesses, Karakaş said: " 'emergency' referrals were restricted by the prison infirmary. The existing practices take away their right to defense as well as the right to treatment. The circular 'Proceedings on the Mitigation or Removal of Punishments of Persons Due to Persistent Illness, Injury and Old', signed by Minister of Justice Bekir Bozdağ. We are exposed to a policy of killing that spans time. The torture policy is also increasing in the prison we are in. Even though we wrote to the ministry about the issue, the lack of an effective investigation encourages the prison staff. In particular, the criminal complaints we have made regarding the stripped search are not processed.”

 

THE RIGHT TO TREATMENT AND DEFENSE

 

Noting that they were tortured when they resisted being searched, Karakaş said:  "Our right to defense in our mother tongue was also hindered and added: “The right of defense in the mother tongue we demand is not accepted. Thus, penalties are upheld without recognizing the constitutional right of defense. They started a disciplinary investigation because we celebrated Newroz. The investigation resulted in penalties at the upper limit. All our applications to the prison will be left unanswered, and our applications regarding the execution provisions are not processed. Again, although the visitor's right to visit is increased to one and a half hours, it is limited to one hour even though families come from afar. Our right to reach the most human rights, especially the right to treatment, the European Convention on Human Rights, to which Turkey is a party, is being violated ideologically despite all laws and regulations. The right to access treatment is becoming increasingly serious and invites negative consequences. We want sensitivity to be shown in order to improve the conditions.”