MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

 Amed- Rights violations continue to increase in Turkish prisons; political prisoners have been deprived of many rights. In the Diyarbakır D-Type No.1 Prison, wardens often raid wards and batter prisoners and prisoners are not given money and clothes sent by their relatives. NuJINHA spoke to Hatice Akın, one of the relatives of prisoners about rights violations in the prison.

Hatice Akın’s son Melik Akın has been held in prison since 2016. Before the imprisonment of her son, her husband had been held in prison for years. Hatice Akın has gone to prisons for 20 years; first to see her husband and now to see her son. “Double isolation has been imposed on prisoners,” she said.

‘They found stones in their food’

Her son Melik Akın is a sick prisoner. Although he requested to be transferred to a hospital many times, he was transferred to a hospital after months. “Our relatives are not given money and clothes we sent to them. Sick prisoners are not transferred to hospital. Prisoners face double isolation in the prison. Prisoners find foreign objects in their food. The prisoners told us many times that they found stones and foreign objects in their food.”

‘Prisoners were battered on their way to hospital’

Emphasizing that the prisoners are subjected to systematic torture and oppression, Hatice Akın said, “Their wards are raided every day. They are battered during the raids. Once, when I was in the prison to see my son, I heard screams. A prisoner was battered while being transferred to the hospital.”

‘Murderers are given an amnesty but not political prisoners’

Calling for the release of political prisoners, Hatice Akın reacted to the bill granting amnesty to only ordinary prisoners. “All prisoners must be released. Murderers are given an amnesty but not political prisoners. I have been going to prisons for 20 years to see my relatives. Political prisoners are held in prison although they are innocent. Granting amnesty to only ordinary prisoners is a discrimination.”