MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Elih (Batman)- The prisoners in Turkey’s prisons have not been able to access the right to health since the outbreak of Covid-19. Sick prisoners do not accept to be transferred to hospital as handcuffed and reject mouth searches and pressure in prisons while some do not receive any treatment. Aysel Tuğluk and Mehmet Emin Özkan are not released from prison on grounds of the reports prepared by the Forensic Medicine Institution (ATK) despite being seriously sick.

The women participating in the 4th Conference of the Free Women’s Movement (TJA) reacted to rights violations faced by sick prisoners and pointed out that everyone who tells the truth is held behind bars. They called for a more active struggle for sick prisoners.

“This is not the first attack on Aysel Tuğluk”

Bedriye Yorgun mentioned the difficulties faced by seriously sick prisoners, particularly Aysel Tuğluk. She said that Aysel Tuğluk is an Alevi-Kurdish woman struggling for justice and freedom. “You may remember that when Aysel Tuğluk's mother, Hatun, passed away, a fascist mob attacked at her mother's funeral ceremony in Ankara. That attack was not an ordinary attack. That attack was an attack on humanity. Maybe, Aysel Tuğluk began to suffer from dementia on that day. Maybe Aysel Tuğluk did not want to remember that day.”

“Humanity will not accept the persecution in prisons”

Pointing out that sick prisoners are not released due to reports prepared by the Forensic Medicine Institution (ATK), Bedriye Yorgun stated that everyone is aware of the politicization of the ATK. “Actually, the duty of the ATK is to evaluate health conditions according to ethical values. We do not expect a politicized institution to make an evaluation according to the rules of medical ethics. Aysel Tuğluk and all sick prisoners have been subjected to persecution. I believe that humanity will not accept the persecution in prisons and struggle for the release of sick prisoners,” Bedriye Yorgun told NuJINHA.

“Aysel Tuğluk is subjected to persecution because she is a woma

TJA activist Şükran Şen called for a more active struggle for the release of sick prisoners. “Aysel Tuğluk is subjected to persecution because she is a Kurdish woman. Aysel Tuğluk was elected by us. We, as women, do not accept our will to be subjected to such a treatment. We, as women, will do our best for political prisoners. Sick prisoners must be treated. Depriving people of their right to health is unacceptable. A policy is being carried out in order to leave political prisoners, particularly Kurdish prisoners, for dead. We should raise our voices against this policy.”

“Our people face arbitrary arrests”

Peace Mothers Initiative member Zekiya Kaya also talked about the situation of sick prisoners in Turkey and said:

“Sick prisoners are not treated. People should rise up and take a step for sick prisoners. Sick prisoners should be treated, hundreds of organized women have been held hostage in prisons. They have not committed any crime; they were arbitrarily arrested. We, as mothers, call on people to take steps for peace, unity and justice. Women are killed every day. A young woman was killed in Iran, we condemn the mentality that kills women.”

“Thousands of people are held hostage in prisons”

Elif Demir thinks the Turkish state considers every Kurdish person as guilty and sends them to prisons. “Thousands of innocent people are held hostage in prisons,” she said, “A lot of people like Aysel Tuğluk are kept in prisons. This is persecution; no woman deserves it. Being a Kurd and a politician is not a crime. There are many young and sick prisoners. Our people die in prisons; this is an inhuman practice. They have been kept in prison because they told the truth. They want to intimidate and silence people by arresting them. Kurdish people face many pressures; our villages are burned, our trees are cut down. Aysel Tuğluk is a seriously sick prisoner and there are thousands of people like her. They must be released.”