ELİF AKGÜL

İstanbul- Kurdish politician Aysel Tuğluk has been held in the Kocaeli No. 1 F-Type Prison since December 2016 although she has suffered from dementia for two years.

68 civil society organizations released a joint statement and demanded her release. “The state, primarily the Justice Ministry, is responsible for the failure to fulfill the requirements of the comprehensive committee report indicating that Aysel Tuğluk cannot stay in prison. The administrative and legal authorities who ignore the report of 'she cannot stay in prison' will be responsible for any unfavorable consequences concerning Tuğluk's health. We call on all authorities who have a role in this unlawful process imposed on her to act in line with the law, science, and conscience; recall that Tuğluk must be freed as soon as possible so that her treatment can continue in necessary conditions and reiterate our call for solidarity,” the statement says. Despite this statement, Aysel Tuğluk hasn’t been released from prison.

Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch Chairperson Gülseren Yoleri spoke to NuJINHA and demanded the immediate release of Aysel Tuğluk again.

Conditions produce diseases

Stating that the sick prisoners face the same conditions as Aysel Tuğluk faces, Gülseren Yoleri said, “The conditions in prisons, which produce diseases, and serious problems in accessing health services cause treatable diseases to become serious diseases, even fatal diseases.”

“They should be released immediately”

“We see how people die for simple reasons and how those diseases become untreatable or fatal over time,” Gülseren Yoleri said, “Aysel, like many other sick prisoners, is a prisoner whose health condition will deteriorate rapidly if she stays in prison. She cannot stay in prison. For this reason, she should be released. There are prisoners who don’t know that they are in prison. They don’t know where they are and why they are held there. They cannot meet their daily needs. The state, and the authorities, who are responsible for ensuring an honorable life for people, should release sick prisoners. They should be released immediately.”

“Ministries have a responsibility”

Gülseren Yoleri demanded the immediate release of all sick prisoners and continued to talk as follows:

“The prison administrations, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Health have the responsibility for the protection of the right to health. Despite their responsibility, the prisoners’ right to health is ignored. The prisoners’ right to life is violated. This matter should be defined as the murder of prisoners”. Holding sick people in prisons is murder.”