Şehmuz İlhan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by the State Security Court (DGM) to which he was referred after being subjected to severe torture in custody in the Silopiya (Silopi) district of Şirnex in 1994, on the grounds of "disrupting the unity and integrity of the state", regained his freedom after 30 years. Having completed his execution, İlhan was released on May 18 from Van High Security Prison, to which he was transferred 6 years ago. İlhan, who was also a ill prisoner, contracted serious diseases such as stomach cancer, hypertension and heart disease when he entered prison at the age of 18.

 

We talked with İlhan, who was held in Diyarbakır Type E Prison, Siirt Type E, Bandırma Type T, Şırnak  Type T and Van High Security Prison, about the practices in prisons in his hometown (Silopiya) and the struggle against them in his hometown (Silopiya) where he returned. 

 

THE PRIDE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

 

Reminding that he was sentenced to life imprisonment when he was a child, İlhan said that this decision was an indication of how afraid they are of the Kurds. İlhan said: “I was arrested when I was only 18 years old. If a person is arrested for the just cause of his people and country, this is something to be honored. I have no regrets. I am proud of my people and my party. What could be the understanding ability and level of an 18-year-old child? According to the state's laws, this punishment should not have been given to someone of this age. However, the laws were not implemented and they wanted to intimidate us in this way. Only if you are right, you will be honored with this punishment."

 

'THE TRUTH CAMAREDERIE SUPPORT'

 

Stating that he never despaired despite the harsh punishment given at a young age, "I first stayed in Diyarbakır Type E Closed Prison. I was held there for 7 years. Torture and pressure were intense, but it was the will that kept us standing. I was arrested at a young age and I had to set goals in order to survive. Will and belief destroy all oppression and torture. Our will was the camarederie of truth that created itself in prison. It was that line of loyal and true comradeship that kept us alive. What made it powerful was the existence of our people. In those conditions, people say to themselves, 'I have a people behind me and this is my strength.' My feet were my people and my arms were true camarederie. It was our people and our camarederie that made our will unshakable" İlhan said.

 

Stating that the system was the same in all prisons where he was held, İlhan said: “There was a lot of pressure and threats in those periods. 10 of my friends were martyred next to me. We were saddened by the martyrdom of our friends, but on the other hand, it was their resistance that turned us into strength. After Amed Prison, I was transferred to Siirt. I stayed there for 13 years. Whichever prison we went to, the system worked the same way, the living conditions were the same. The existing difficulties brought goodness and beauty with them. Evil strengthened our will and faith. If a person does not have a power behind them, they cannot survive in prison conditions. You cannot see any people in the world with as much willpower and faith as the Kurdish people. We cannot say that prison is good or beautiful, but there were things that were good for you as well as bad. For example, camaraderie.”

 

'EVERY PROCESS HAS DIFFICULTIES'

 

Underlining that the true camaraderie created strengthens the hope for freedom, İlhan said: "After Siirt, I stayed in Bandırma Prison for more than two years. When we were transferred from one prison to another, we experienced two emotions at the same time. One of these is the sadness you feel because you are estranged from your friends, and the other is despair. I last stayed in the prisons in Şirnex and Wan. Of course, the initial processes of every referral were difficult. However, the spirit of resistance teaches everything by itself. During my time in prison, I established a very good camaraderie with my friends. In fact, we were not that far from the outside. We had one foot in prison and one foot outside. This gave people morale and strength. I didn't think I would be released from prison after 30 years. I never had any thoughts of going out. Because I didn't even know if I would survive 30 years."

 

THE FEELINGS OF THE MOMENT OF EVACUATION

 

İlhan described the feelings he experienced after leaving prison as follows: “Before leaving prison, I thought, 'How will it be? What will be the difficulty it will cause and the positivity it will bring?' people think. But of course, on the other hand, there is incredible excitement inside people. The welcome you receive when you leave gives you a completely different feeling of happiness. On one hand there is freedom, but on the other hand there is sadness. Because you break up with the friends you stayed with for 30 years and leave them behind. You feel like your flesh has been ripped off my bones. The relationships of people outside and their approaches to each other seem very foreign."

 

A CALL TO TAKE CARE OF THE PRISONERS

 

Reminding the actions carried out in prisons within the scope of the "Freedom for Abdullah Öcalan, solution to the Kurdish issue" campaign, İlhan called for the action to be embraced, “Our friends who are currently resisting in prisons should not be left alone. Because when a person is psychologically weak, they cannot stand. My friends in prison were always disturbed by this. They were saying that it was inadequate and weak in protecting them. We were experiencing this. Resistance and action in prisons grows the more they are supported. Everyone needs to embrace this resistance. If there is ownership, action will get results" İlhan said.

 

MA/Zeynep Durgut