MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed – The condition of sick prisoners in Turkey is getting worse every day. 83-year-old Mehmet Emin Özkan is one of the bedridden sick prisoners. Despite his age and diseases, he has been still held in the Diyarbakır D-Type Closed Prison. He also lost his memory last week. His daughter Selma Özkan called for solidarity, “He should be immediately released,” she said.

Life becomes harder for sick prisoners

Mehmet Emin Özkan, who has many health problems such as goiter, intestine, heart, high blood pressure, constipation, and Alzheimer's, has had five heart attacks in the prison. He has been held in a cell with his son Ahmet Özkan.

He lost his memory

Selma Özkan spoke to our news agency about her father’s health condition. “My father hasn’t heard anything. He doesn’t know who he is and where he is. He lost his memory. He has been bedridden for a week. He has to take 10 pills every day. But he doesn’t recognize them so my brother gives them to him. Several days ago, he tried to open the door of his ward and said he would go home. He doesn't even realize he's in prison. He even forgets he is in prison,” she told us.

“He hasn’t been released”

Emphasizing that keeping a sick person in prison is also a torture method, Selma Özkan said, “He is an 83-year-old man suffering from many diseases. He lost his memory but he hasn’t been released from prison on the ground that he might carry out political works again. Our house is in silence. We answer all calls with fear because we are afraid of receiving his death news. All sick prisoners should be immediately released from prison.”

“This is torture”

“They inflict this torture on a person who cannot walk. My father has only one wish and that is to see his village for the last time before he dies. What he faces is torture. This is also torture against us. We always think of him.”