MARDİN- The release of Selahattin Demir, who is being held in Type T Bafra Closed Prison for the last 30 years, and the release of 5 other prisoners, has been postponed for 3 months.

 

Selahattin Demir (64), who was arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment by the State Security Court (DGM) after he was detained in the Nusaybin district of Mardin, was not released despite serving his 30-year prison sentence. Demir, who is being held in Samsun Bafra Type T Closed Prison, stated in a phone call with his family that his release was postponed for another 3 months by the Administrative Monitoring Board claiming that he was "not in good behavior". Demir shared that the release of 5 other people was also postponed for another 3 months for similar reasons.

 

HIS WIFE HAS NOT SEEN HIM FOR 7 YEARS

 

Condemning the situation, Latife Demir said: "My husband was transferred to Yozgat, Batman, Mardin, Midyat and finally Samsun Prisons during his detention. My husband called me on monday and said that his and five of other prisoners has been postponed until December. I have not been able to visit my husband for 7 years. I couldn't visit him because of the brutality of the prison rules. I last went to visit him in Nusaybin during the curfews announced in November 2015. They  strip searched and insulted us and I reacted to this behavior. I told I would not accept this and told my husband I won't be visiting anymore. Our friends called me and told me that they arranged a car to visit my husband in prison, so I went there again, just to be subjected to the same insults. I haven't gone to the prison again. We want our rights. We want our freedom." 

Demir said: "My husband is held there arbitrarily despite the fact that he served his sentence. We were preparing for his release as a family but his release was postponed. My husband was deprived of his rights because he is Kurdish. We want him to be released immediately."