IZMIR - Lawyer Mehmet Selahattin Timur from ÖHD stated that violations such as access to health care, strip searches and ill-treatment are taking place in prisons in the Aegean region and that disciplinary proceedings were initiated against prisoners who celebrated the anniversary of the Kobanê victory.  

 

The Prison Commission of the Law Society for Freedom (ÖHD) met with political prisoners regarding the increasing violations of rights in prisons in the Aegean region. The commission members, who completed their interviews last week, found that violations such as right to health, transfer, strip search and violence have increased.  

 

ÖHD Izmir Branch Secretary and Prison Commission member Mehmet Selahattin Timur talked about the rights violations they were informed about during their visits. 

 

'PRISONERS ARE TRANSFERRED AFTER 2-3 MONTHS' 

 

Timur stated that prisoners in the Aegean region have experienced serious violations of their right to health in the last 3 months and that the problem of not being taken to the infirmary, which is the primary health service, or being taken to the infirmary late has increased. Timur stated that especially in Izmir prisons, prisoners were taken to the infirmary in a period of 2-3 months. 

 

Timur stated that the prisoners' applications against not being taken to the infirmary and not being referred to the hospital were rejected on the grounds that there was nothing they could do, while the prosecutor's office claimed that there was a lack of gendarmerie and personnel. Timur noted that such justifications have no basis. 

 

Timur also pointed out that many prisoners in Aegean prisons have been transferred against their will in recent months.

 

DISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATION INTO KOBANÊ CELEBRATION

 

Lastly, Timur informed that prisoners in Izmir Şakran Women's Closed Prison were subjected to disciplinary proceedings due to the celebration they held on July 19 against the liberation of Kobanê from ISIS, and said: “In this celebration, prisoners sang and danced the halay. The prison administration started an investigation against all women political prisoners who participated in the celebration or not. This investigation has no legal basis. The aim here is to delay the release of many women prisoners who are about to be released and to create an excuse for this. If any disciplinary action is taken against our clients after the investigation, we will file our objections. Because ISIS is an organization seen as a danger by the world. Celebrating the liberation of Kobanê from this organization is not a crime either.” 

 

'ALL THIS IS A SECONDARY PUNISHMENT METHOD' 

 

Timur added that all these problems in prisons are being applied as a secondary method of punishment and said: “A second method of punishment that exceeds judicial decisions is being applied. As a result, the right to life of prisoners is prevented. Prisoners' lives are turned into torture and torment. We report these rights violations. We present them to international mechanisms and institutions. We will make applications to the prison administrations and the execution prosecutor's office against the recent rights violations. If our applications remain inconclusive, we will take the violations to international institutions.” 

 

 

MA / Semra Turan