ISTANBUL - The imprisoned Kurdish writer and translator Nizam Algünerhan, whose translated books were approved by the Ministry of Culture, was not released on the grounds that he did not participate in "cultural activities of prison".

 

Kurdish writer and translator Nizam Algünerhan, held in Bolu Type F Closed Prison, was executed on the grounds that he "did not participate in cultural activities of the prison", "was in the same ward as those arrested as a PKK member" and "participated in sports activities with the prisoners", on the grounds that he was "not in good shape".

 

Algünerhan, who has been in detention since December 4, 1992, was sentenced to 36 years in prison by the Diyarbakır No. 1 State Security Court (DGM) on March 6, 1995, on charges of "destroying the constitutional order and the unity and integrity of the state". He stayed in prisons in Algünerhan, Muş, Amed, Yozgat, İzmir and many other cities. Finally, Algünerhan, who was sent to Bolu Type F Closed Prison, was burned by the Administration and Observation Board. The decision was communicated to him on November 16, 2022. In the decision, it was stated that the guards' making their job harder by objecting to the burning of his execution was cited as a reason.

 

ALGÜNERHAN APPEALED AGAINST DECISION 

 

Algünerhan appealed to the Bolu Execution Judge on November 21 against the decision. Stating that he has serious illnesses, Algünerhan pointed out in the application that the principle of “lawfulness of punishments” included in Article 7 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECtHR) and the “principle of legality in crime and punishment” included in Article 38 of the Constitution, and that this decision was taken and it is against the law. Algünerhan pointed out that the allegation of "not making the guards' job easier during the search" is also unfounded in the petition of appeal, and pointed out that the board did not provide a concrete justification for this claim. Responding to the allegation that he did not participate in social and cultural activities, Algünerhan stated that all his demands were rejected, but despite this, he translated two books from French to Kurdish with his own efforts, and one of these books was published with the approval of the Ministry of Culture.

 

It has been noted that a month has passed since Algünerhan's objection has not been decided yet, and even if it is, it has not been notified to him yet.