ANKARA - Stating that the judicial process should be initiated regarding the negligence in the death of ill prisoner Mehmet Hanefi Bilgin, his elder brother Veysel Bilgin called for the death of his brother to be revealed.

 

In the letter sent to the Human Rights Association (İHD) by the cell mates of Mehmet Hanefi Bilgin, who died in Bolu Type F Closed Prison on January 30, just 5 months before his release, the other prisoners told about the negligence of the prisoners. Bilgin had been transferred from prison to prison in 29. In the letter they sent, Bilgin's cell mates, Ahmet Abdi İbrahim and Cabbar Palabıyık, drew attention to the increase in Covid cases in prison and stated that there were many detainees in quarantine and that they had some symptoms 2-3 days before Bilgin's death. Explaining that they were not taken to the infirmary despite their symptoms, İbrahim and Palabıyık stated that the prison administration did not take the necessary precautions.

 

Bilgin's elder brother Veysel Bilgin stated that it is unacceptable not to take his brother to the doctor even though he was known to be ill, and said that if the prisoner's have a right to be released when they have less than a year to serve in prison but he was prevented from using that right, which eventually casued his death. Bilgin said: "They prevented his release. If he was released we would be able to get him treated and he wouldn't die."

 

HE WAS HAPPY HE WOULD FINALLY BE FREE

 

Stating that they were happy his brother was going to be released, Bilgin said: "He was going to see his family after 30 years in prison and we couldn't see him. They didn't let him see his family one more time before he died."

 

Explaining that they were speaking to his brother about the day he would be released, Bilgin said: "My brother was missing his hometown a lot. He told that he missed us a lot and he described how he imagined the our village, the nature, the trees, everything. 

 

NEGLIGENCE LEADS TO DEATH

 

Emphasizing that necessary precautions should be taken for ill prisoners, Bilgin said, “Health problems are not something to be neglected. It creates situations that will result in death when neglected, as in my brother. We are sad, I don't know how to get over this pain I feel inside. My mother spends her days without eating or drinking in grief."

 

REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION 

 

Underlining that the legal process should be carried out against those who were negligent in the death of his brother, Bilgin said, “If there is a real negligence regarding my brother, legal action should be initiated. We want those responsible to be revealed."