Torture against Gültan Kışanak after attending her sister’s funeral

Labour Party (EMEP) MP Sevda Karaca reported that Gültan Kışanak told her that she had been held in a warehouse-like place the night after she attended the funeral of her sister.

News Center- Sevda Karaca, Deputy Chairperson of the Labour Party (EMEP) and EMEP Antep MP, has announced that Gültan Kışanak was subjected to torture after she attended the funeral of her sister  Zeynep Özer in Xarpêt (Harput) on August 9.

‘She was kept in a warehouse-like place’

Sevda Karaca said that she had visited Gültan Kışanak, Figen Yüksekdağ and Nurhayat Altun in the Kandıra prison yesterday.

“Kışanak, who was taken away from the cemetery just after her sister was buried, was transferred to Elazığ prison without any information while she was expected to be transferred first to Istanbul and then to Kandıra. When she asked why she was taken to Elazığ prison, she was told, ‘You had four hours for the funeral, the time has expired. For this reason, we are taking you to the prison’. Gültan Kışanak did not have her medicines or something to wear in prison. Although she requested to stay with her friends in prison, she was forced to spend the night in a warehouse-like place.”

No information was given to her family

Sevda Karaca indicated that Gültan Kışanak had requested to meet officials in the morning; however, she had received no response. Gültan Kışanak wanted to inform her family and lawyers that she was held in Elazığ prison. After hours, she informed her family and lawyers that she was held in Elazığ prison.

“When her lawyers went to the prison to see Gültan Kışanak, they were told, ‘Convicts cannot see visitors during lunch break’.  Her lawyers were kept waiting for one and half hours. However, Kışanak is not convicted, she has been unjustly held in pre-trial detention for seven years,” Sevda Karaca said.

Then, Gültan Kışanak was taken to Sivas by a prison transport vehicle. “Gültan Kışanak was able to reach Kandıra prison at around 3 am after a seven-hour tiring journey to Sivas.”

Describing the ill-treatment against Gültan Kışanak as torture, Sevda Karaca said, “Gültan Kışanak is an elected politician. The ill-treatment against her is an inhuman practice. We demand an explanation from the Ministry of Justice.”