News Center- Political women prisoners in Sincan Women’s Closed Prison in Ankara have applied to the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) regarding the torture and rights violations and sick prisoners in Turkey’s prisons.

Calling on the CPT to launch an investigation into rights violations in prison, the women prisoners recalled the death of Şakir Tutan in Erzincan L-type Prison on August 30. “Although he suffered from cancer, he was not released from prison. As a Kurd and politician, did he have to die to prove that he was sick? The report of the government’s Forensic Medicine Institution (ATK) prepared a report saying that he could stay in prison although he suffered from cancer. The report prepared by the ATK about Şakir Tutan was a political report.

Suspicious deaths in prisons

The application said that at least 81 prisoners died in Turkey in just one year. “No investigation has been launched into these suspicious deaths. Every death in prisons is a murder committed by the government. Most of the people who died in prisons were sick political prisoners. Political prisoners are targeted because of their thoughts and political activities, and especially because they are Kurds,” the women prisoners wrote in the application.

‘What is the CPT waiting for?’

“Kurdish political prisoners are left to die,” said the application. “What is the CPT waiting for? Is the CPT waiting for sick prisoners to die? The reality is that there are many political prisoners, who have not been released although they have completed their sentences because they are Kurds.”

‘Take an immediate action’

Mentioning the torture cases in Turkey’s prisons, the political women prisoners said, “There are tens of thousands of people subjected to fascist and racist practices in Turkey’s prisons. Because of these practices, people die in prisons. Serious sick prisoners are left to die. The CPT should launch an immediate investigation into torture and rights violations in Turkey’s prisons. Turkey should be warned and convicted for torture and rights violations in prisons. The CPT must take immediate action.”