MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed -There are currently 1,605 sick prisoners in Turkish prisons, 604 of whom are critically ill, according to the 2021 report of the Human Rights Association (IHD). While this number is increasing day by day due to the political process in Turkey, the sic prisoners are deprived of even their right to say “goodbye”. While the situation of sick prisoners such as politician Aysel Tuğluk, who lost her memory, and Mehmet Emin Özkan (83), who is held in the intensive care unit, shows the reality in the prisons, the Justice Watch initiated by the relatives of the sick prisoners to demand the treatment of sick prisoners continues in Amed and Van provinces. We spoke to Gizem Miran, the Co-Chair of the Diyarbakır Bar Association’s Prison Commission, about the conditions of prisoners in Turkey. She urged the Ministry of Justice to implement national and international laws and regulations in prisons.

“Rights violations in prisons have become a state’s policy”

Stating that rights violations in prisons have become a state’s policy for years, Gizem Miran drew attention to the fact that the condition in prisons has been worsening since the outbreak of the Covid-19. Emphasizing that sick prisoners had problems in receiving treatment and being transferred to the hospital before the outbreak of the pandemic, Gizem Miran said that the prisoners have faced more problems due to pandemic restrictions.

“Prisoners haven’t received any treatment for two years”

Indicating that the prisoners, who are transferred to a hospital, face many other problems at the hospital, Gizem Miran said, “Even if sick prisoners are transferred to the hospital for access to their right to health, they are returned to prison without being treated due to the full capacity of hospitals. During the 14-day lockdown, the prisoners faced many rights violations. Undergoing a medical examination in handcuffs is a practice against humanity. Some prisoners are not treated due to this practice.”

“Sick prisoners are deprived of even their right to say goodbye”

Emphasizing that sick people shouldn’t be held in prison, Gizem Miran said, “Holding them in prison is a method of torture, it is the violation of their right to life. Governments are responsible for protecting their citizens. There are seriously sick prisoners, who will die if they do not receive treatment. Sick prisoners are deprived of even their right to say goodbye.”

“Protest and demands of families are legitimate”

Drawing attention to the Justice Watch protest of sick prisoners’ relatives in Amed and Van provinces, Gizem Miran underlined that the protests and demands of families are legitimate. “We, as lawyers and human rights defenders, will continue to take necessary legal actions to make the voices and demands of families heard.”