‘Urgent Action’ Campaign by Amnesty International: Lives of Prisoners at Greater Risk

* Photos: osmankavala.org - social media - Amnesty International

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Amnesty International has launched an "urgent action" campaign for hundreds of politicians, human rights defenders and journalists behind bars in Turkey amid novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The petition has demanded the release of prisoners "whose lives are at greater risk in overcrowded prisons deprived of hygiene conditions."

Click to sign the petition in Turkish / English

'Thousands of prisoners still under COVID-19 risk'

Referring to the recent amendments to the law on criminal enforcement which entered into force on April 15, the organization has reminded the public that while the law has paved the way for the release of almost 90 thousand prisoners amid COVID-19 outbreak, thousands of prisoners are still behind bars in Turkey, facing the risk of getting infected.

Passed by the Parliament on April 13, the amended law on criminal enforcement has excluded political prisoners, criminals of thought and arrested journalists from reduced prison sentences and early release to reduce prison population during the pandemic.

After the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) appealed to the Constitutional Court and requested the annulment of the entire law in terms of form considerations as well as the stay of its execution, the Constitutional Court made its first examination on procedural grounds and decided to proceed to examine it as to the merits.

Reference to Demirtaş, Kavala and Altan

In its urgent action campaign, Amnesty International has also referred to imprisoned former Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Co-Chair Selahattin Demirtaş in Edirne Prison as well as businessperson and rights defender Osman Kavala and writer-journalist Ahmet Altan in Silivri Prison.

In a recent statement released by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on Friday (May 22), it has been announced that while 82 prisoners have been diagnosed with COVID-19, one convict has died of the disease in Silivri Prison, where Kavala and Altan are also held.

Within this context, Amnesty International has briefly stated the following:

'Prisoners, prison personnel at greater risk'

"While coronavirus has been spreading in Turkey at a concerning pace, the lives of thousands of prisoners and prison personnel are at greater risk in overcrowded prisons deprived of hygiene conditions.

"On April 13, the law foreseeing the early release of almost 90 thousand prisoners passed the Parliament. However, this law excludes several people who deserve early release, including journalists, human rights defenders, the ones who are unjustly held in prison based on anti-terror laws just because they used their rights and the ones held in pre-trial detention.

"Make a call to request the release of the ones unjustly held in prison and ensure that the ones kept behind bars can have access to the healthcare opportunities provided to the general public. Sign the petition!"

(EMK/SD)