Poems she writes in prison collected in DIL-BIRİN
Journalist Dılbirin Turgut collected the poems she wrote in prison into her poetry book titled “DIL-BIRİN”. Her book, which was published several days ago, tells her five-month hunger strike and memories in the prison.
MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU
Elih – Journalist Dılbirin Turgut was sentenced to 10 years in prison on charges of “being a member of a terrorist organization” in 2017. After serving five years in prison, she was released from Tarsus Closed Women’s Prison last year. While she was in prison, she faced rights violations and pressure. She was one of the prisoners who started a hunger strike in 2019 against rights violations in prisons of Turkey. During that time, she kept writing poems in prison. She collected her poems into a poetry book titled “DIL-BIRİN”. Her book was published several days ago. Her poems tell what prisoners faced during the hunger strikes, their longing for nature and family.
She wrote poems on letters
Dılbirin Turgut wrote her poems on letters in prison. “I couldn’t write my poems in a notebook or paper due to the pressures in the Tarsus Prison. We had limited opportunities. The wardens could seize the books or notebooks. So I wrote my poems on letters to protect them.”
“I am happy because my book will be read by prisoners”
Noting that what they faced during their hunger strike was very challenging, Dılbirin Turgut said, “I decided to write down my memories and feelings on the letters. After being released from prison, I collected my poems in a book. Most of my poems are about hunger strikers. Some of my poems are about the prisoners’ longing for nature and family. I feel happy and peaceful because my book will be read by my friends in prison.”
“Words are not sufficient to tell what happened in prisons”
Highlighting that women can achieve anything they want, Dılbirin Turgut, “A poem or a book cannot express what happens in prison. I want to send my book to my friends in prison and say that what happened there is read now. Words are not sufficient to tell what happened there. I'm sure most of the friends in prisons write books and spend their time productively in this way.”
“The prisoners are hopeful despite everything”
Speaking about the ongoing rights violations in prisons, Dılbirin Turgut emphasized that the prisoners are hopeful despite everything. “The ongoing rights violations in prisons are heartbreaking. I see only hopeless people since I was released from prison. But prisoners are still hopeful despite everything.”
Dılbirin Turgut’s poetry book titled “DIL-BIRİN” was published by the Sitav and Pirtuka Kurdi Publishing House.