Political motives prevent the release of ill prisoners

2023-10-05 11:52:05


	 

	RIHA - İHD Riha Branch manager Gökhan Dayık said that the biggest obstacle to the release of ill prisoners in prisons is political motives.

	 

	According to the data of the Human Rights Association (IHD); There are 1,517 ill people detained in prisons, 651 of whom are seriously ill. As of October 4, at least 29 ill prisoners died in prisons this year because they were not treated. Yılmaz Özalp, who was last in Şakran No. 1 Type T Closed Prison, died on October 1 in the hospital where he was taken after a heart attack.

	 

	It was revealed in the previous days that Erhan Baştin, a prisoner named Erhan Baştin, who had cancer in prison and was given a medical report stating that he had a "life-threatening risk", died on August 19, just two days after his request for release was rejected.

	 

	The data of the General Directorate of Judicial Records and Statistics under the Ministry of Justice, which shares data about prisoners in prisons every year, does not include any information about ill prisoners. According to the data available to IHD, there are at least 279 ill prisoners, 24 of whom are seriously ill, in Urfa No. 1 and 2 Type T prisons located in Riha alone and Siverek No. 2 Type T prisons.

	 

	'THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE: POLITICAL MOTIVES'

	 

	Evaluating the approach towards ill prisoners, İHD Riha Branch Manager Gökhan Dayık stated that there are "political motives", beyond the current legal regulations, that prevent the conditional release of ill prisoners.

	 

	Emphasizing that every prisoner should be held in conditions worthy of human dignity, Dayık said: “Otherwise, every practice constitutes crimes of torture and ill-treatment. Keeping seriously ill prisoners in prison until they are at the point of losing their lives is a violation of the right to life. The most basic human right is being violated."

	 

	'THERE SHOULD BE NO DISCRIMINATION'

	 

	Drawing attention that AKP's President Tayyip Erdoğan released some prisoners with the authority of special amnesty, Dayık said: “Releasing prisoners with special amnesty in cases of permanent illness, disability and old age is in accordance with the Constitution; however, when we look at the profile of those who were released and those who benefited from this right, it is obvious that there is discrimination. This discrimination is against the Constitution's principle of equality. Depending on the crime categories that justify people's detention in prison, some are released from prison and some are not. Old people and patients who cannot stay in prison should be released without discrimination."

	 

	TURKISH STATE RELEASES ILL PRISONERS ON HIS DEATHBED!

	 

	Dayık also drew attention that many ill prisoners were released only when they were close to death and died a short time later. Dayik said: “At the time when their treatment is possible, the diseases of ill prisoners who are held in bad conditions in prison become worse. When their illness progresses, they are released. Ending a life spread over time... This is not an acceptable situation. The most basic human right is being violated. Every prisoner has the right to access treatment, but this is not provided."

	 

	'WE HAVE TO BE THE VOICE OF THE PRISONERS'

	 

	Stating that all democratic mass organizations should take action to ensure that ill prisoners have access to the right to health and receive treatment in conditions worthy of human dignity, Dayık said: “Bar associations and legal organizations have the mission of taking action against human rights violations and protecting human rights. If the Parliamentary Human Rights Investigation Commission becomes dysfunctional, it is the Bar Association and human rights associations that will mobilize it. There is no obstacle to the release of prisoners in the Constitution, but there are problems in its implementation. Prisoners are not released for political reasons. Against this, it is necessary to eliminate these political motives as the voice of prisoners everywhere. Torture and ill-treatment are crimes against humanity. This binds everyone. We have to be the voice of sick prisoners. All ill prisoners, especially seriously ill prisoners, should be released as soon as possible."

	 

	MA / Emrullah Acar