Soydan Akay, a seriously ill prisoner in Istanbul Silivri Prison No 9, who was arrested in Izmir in 1993 on the allegation of "disrupting the unity and integrity of the state", was hospitalised 7 times in March, 3 of which were emergencies. Akay was taken to the prison infirmary with complaints of heart disease, infection and blood pressure, and he was sent back to his ward without being referred to hospital each time. Akay was not referred to a hospital, and his relatives showed his tests to a doctor they knew and received the answer "heart attack". 

 

Despite his illnesses, he was not released from prison, and his release was postponed by the Administration and Observation Board 3 times for 6 months each, and finally for 3 months, preventing him from receiving treatment outside.

 

Stating that his brother's life sentence expires in August 2023, his brother and lawyer Veysel Akay pointed out that the law in Turkey does not work when it comes to ill prisoners. "Especially after 2020, the Administrative and Observation Boards in prisons, which the government developed with presidential decrees, function in a very arbitrary, unlawful and even immoral manner. These operate like a guillotine mechanism not only for Soydan, but also for prisoners in similar situations," he said. 

 

'OUR APPEAL HAS STILL NOT BEEN PROCESSED'

 

Emphasising that prisoners should be released when the execution periods of the sentences given by the court are completed, and therefore hsi brother should also be released, Akay said, "Besides, Soydan has been held in a single cell for 8 years. Soydan is a humble person, he has not asked us to put him on the agenda for 8 years. He stated that there were prisoners in harsher conditions than him and he did not want it morally. But especially in the last few months he had severe health conditions, he had already had a heart attack. They failed to realise this there. Our doctor friends outside came to this conclusion in their examinations. Therefore, he needs to be released urgently. There are no treatment facilities in prison. They are given cheap medicines with heavy side effects. We cannot give medicine from outside ourselves. We made objections to avoid a worse situation, but our objections have not even been processed yet. On 24 March we filed an objection which is still pending at the prison prosecutor's office."

 

'PRISON'S HEALTH SERVICE IS BLOCKED'

 

Stating that although his brother had a heart attack, he was sent back to prison on the grounds of "blood pressure", Akay said that they could not get any results from their meetings with the prison administration and said, "They cannot treat in the hospital in the prison because of the recent overcrowding, because its capacity is not enough. For example, he goes to the cardiologist and is kept waiting there for 4 hours. In other words, Silivri Prison's ability to provide health services has been blocked."

 

CALL FOR SENSITISATION

 

Stating that they have applied for Soydan Akay's release and postponement of his sentence, Akay said, "We will go on Monday (today) and meet with both the prosecutor's office and the heavy penal court. He is currently trying to keep himself alive with medication and certain movements. Soydan's condition is currently under control, but it is not clear what will happen. And on top of that he is in solitary confinement. Soydan especially asked me to convey his thanks to the public for their solidarity. He asked that he should not be put on the agenda when there are heavier people than him. But we, as his family and lawyers, reiterate our demands for the public's sensitivity in order not to face a more serious situation, as well as our demands for release to the Ministry of Justice, government officials and prison authorities through you."

 

'ILL PRISONERS CANNOT BE USED AS A BARGAINING CHIP'

 

Underlining that ill prisoners should be released in the new process, Akay added, "At a time when the state wants to make peace with the Kurds, Soydan and similar prisoners should be released immediately. On the one hand you will say 'brotherhood', on the other hand you will hold people who have suffered serious grievances hostage. Soydan and similar prisoners cannot be used at the bargaining table. They have already earned their right to be released. We do not accept the arrangements to be made by the Ministry of Justice on this issue as a concession. Even if Soydan and similar prisoners are released in this way, it is too late and they have serious health problems. For this reason, everyone must be released without any negotiations."

 

MA / Ömer İbrahimoğlu