The Presidency of the Administration and Observation Board of the Diyarbakır Women's Closed Prison banned the prisoners and convicts taking collective photographs on the grounds of “preventing organizational propaganda” and “ensuring the security of the institution”. The decision was also accepted by the Diyarbakır 1st High Criminal Court.

 

THE JUDGE ACCEPTED THE OBJECTION

 

Elif Atdemir, who is in the Women's Closed Prison, stated that taking individual or triple photos was too costly and carried the decision to Diyarbakır Execution Judge. Evaluating the objection of Atdemir, the judge accepted the appeal, noting that there is no restriction of any particular number of people to take a photography.

 

LAWYER YELBOĞA: AGAINST THE LAW

 

Şerzan Yelboğa, a lawyer of the Association for Help and Solidarity with the Families of Prisoners and Detainees (TUAY-DER), evaluated the court decision to the Mesopotamian Agency (MA) and underlined that it was against the law.

 

Referring to the "secret memorandums" in prisons, Yelboğa said, "In legislation there is no regulation ontaking pictures with a limited number of prisoners and not giving socks to prisoners. However such prohibitions are brought in prisons with arbitrary practices under the name of "memorandums". When these memorandums are requested by prisoners, prisoners are told that they are 'classified' and the contents of the memorandums are not said to prisoners. There is a ban, but it is not clear who decided to ban. With such secret memorandums, the conditions in prisons are made worse each day. However, the laws are clear. We observe that the complaints about such arbitrary practices from prisons have increased recently." 

 

'WE WILL CARRY THIS TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT'

 

Lawyer Yelboğa noted that they are preparing to carry the decisions of the Diyarbakır 1st High Criminal Court regarding the ban on "socks" and the bans on "collective photo in prison" to the constitutional court.

 

MA / Aydın ATAY