Lawyer Reyhan Yalçındağ Baydemir called for the immediate release of Kurdish politician Aysel Tuğluk, who has had serious health problems in prison for a year. Reyhan Yalçındağ Baydemir stated that if something happens to Aysel Tuğluk in prison, the Council of Forensic Medicine in Istanbul will be responsible for preparing a health report reading, “She can stay in prison”. Stating that they objected to the report, Reyhan Yalçındağ Baydemir also reported that they will take all legal actions.

MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Amed– In Turkey, 1333 sick prisoners, including 457 in critical condition, have been held in prisons, according to the report prepared by the Prisons Commission of the Human Rights Association (IHD). The sick prisoners haven’t been released from prisons although their serious conditions have been documented by the Council of Forensic Medicine and they haven’t received any treatment in prisons. The Council of Forensic Medicine in Istanbul prepared a health report about the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) and Democratic Society Party (DTP) former co-chair Aysel Tuğluk, who has been held in the Kocaeli Kandıra F Type Prison. In the report, the council says, “She can live in prison alone”. Aysel Tuğluk's lawyers demanded the release of their client but the Kocaeli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office rejected the demand of release in parallel with the report.

“She has been held in prison for her political identity”

Aysel Tuğluk, who has been held in the Kocaeli Kandıra F Type Prison, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for “being a leader of a (terrorist) organization”. She has served her sentence since December 29, 2016. Lawyer Reyhan Yalçındağ Baydemir spoke to our news agency about Aysel Tuğluk, who has had health problems since the beginning of this year. Emphasizing that Aysel Tuğluk has been held in prison for her political identity and activities, Reyhan Yalçındağ Baydemir pointed out that her client was officially invited to the parliament by the Constitutional Commission when she was the co-chair of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), “but she later stood trial for being the co-chair of the DTK.”

Two different health reports

Reyhan Yalçındağ Baydemir mentioned that Aysel Tuğluk is one of the Kurdish politicians who have been deprived of their freedom because of the change of the process. “Aysel Tuğluk began to feel bad at the beginning of this year and she was transferred to Seka State Hospital. We demanded her release but our demand was rejected. Thereupon, we applied to the Council of Forensic Medicine in Kocaeli to get a health report for her release. After four-month examinations and tests, the council prepared a health report for her and stated that Aysel Tuğluk couldn’t stay in prison; she couldn’t survive in prison alone and that her sentence should be postponed due to her serious health condition.”

After the report prepared by the Council of Forensic Medicine in Kocaeli was sent to the Council of Forensic Medicine in Istanbul, the council in Istanbul prepared a different health report. In the report, the council in Istanbul says, “Aysel Tuğluk can live in prison alone”. “Two councils prepared different reports. The council in Kocaeli prepared its report after four-month examinations and tests but the council in Istanbul prepared its report after examining my client once.”

“The Council of Forensic Medicine in Istanbul will be responsible”

Reyhan Yalçındağ Baydemir underlined that if something happens to Aysel Tuğluk in prison, the Council of Forensic Medicine in Istanbul will be responsible for preparing the health report. “Aysel Tuğluk should be examined by an independent health team.”

“We will take all legal actions”

“Aysel Tuğluk should be immediately released from prison,” Reyhan Yalçındağ Baydemir said, “She has been suffering from a disease that cannot be treated in prison. We will take all legal actions for her immediate release.”