‘She has very simple demands, she demands her rights’

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"Even if I was not on a death fast, it would not be possible for me to live in these prison conditions for another two years."

Sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment, Didem Akman has been on death fast for 202 days. She started her fast in the disciplinary cell where she was held in Şakran Prison because it did not have a one-person ward designed for the ones who will serve an aggravated life sentence.

According to the related law*, as part of disciplinary punishment, a convict shall be held in this type of disciplinary cell for 20 days the most. However, Akman is expected to spend the rest of her life there.

Didem Akman was previously held in Sincan Type F Prison in Ankara. When she was there, she was staying in a one-person ward specially designed for the execution of aggravated life sentences. However, she was then transferred to the Şakran Prison in the Aegean province of İzmir.

Akman was held in a "five-step-long" cell without a kitchen, a door opening to a place where she could get air or a space where she could walk.

When she submitted a petition and requested her transfer back to the Sincan Prison in the capital city, her request was rejected on the stated ground that "she had disciplinary punishment." As her petition was not processed by the prison administration, she went on a death fast.

According to Seda Şaraldı, one of the attorneys for Akman who spoke to bianet, Akman said, "Even if I was not on a death fast, it would not be possible for me to live in these prison conditions for another two years."

'Her condition deteriorated quickly as she was alone'

Didem Akman, again without her will, has been referred to the Yeşilyurt Public Hospital. She is currently held there.

Attorney Şaraldı has shared her current situation briefly as follows:

"She looks like the final state of Ebru Timtik, she had mouth sores after she was hospitalized. She cannot talk, she can communicate only by writing.

"Her condition has deteriorated more quickly than other death fasters. We think that it is because she stayed alone in prison, she has no hospital attendant and she has to meet all her needs by herself.

"When she was convicted in March 2011, she was staying in Sincan. It is a prison with cells built for the execution of one-person prison sentences. However, she was transferred to Şakran and put in a disciplinary cell.

"The disciplinary cell has no kitchen counter, it has no space to walk and it does not directly open to a space where prisoners go out to get air.

"She is allowed to get air for an hour a day, but it drops to 50 minutes while she is going back and forth in the corridor. The warden takes her to get air, she is also on her own there. The door is locked behind her, she stays there on her own, be that in rain or summer's heat."

'She has simple demands, she demands her rights'

What does Didem Akman demand?

Attorney Şaraldı has explained her demands as follows:

"Her first demand is an increase of the time that she can spend to get fresh air. The related legislation says that it shall be at least one hour and, as Type-F cells have a door directly opening to this area, this time is longer than an hour. After the pandemic broke out, prisons have increased the time that can be spent by aggravated life convicts in getting air. It is done for their immune system. However, no such right has been granted to Akman.

"Her second demand is a visit to be held together with her father and mother. Convicts sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment used to be allowed to meet their visitors one by one; however, the Court of Cassation handed down a judgement, indicating that they could meet them together. Akman wants this judgement to be implemented.

"Actually, if she is transferred to the Sincan Prison, these problems will be solved; however, the petition of referral submitted by Akman was not processed on the ground that 'she had a disciplinary punishment.' When we, as her attorneys, applied to the Ministry of Justice, it replied, 'The person should submit a petition herself. But the 'person' cannot do it..."

Concluding her remarks, attorney Şaraldı has said, "She has very simple demands, he wants her rights written in the law..."

Akman's attorneys will talk to the prosecutor's office and prison officials and request that the petition be processed. (AS/SD)

* The 1st Clause of Article 44 of the Law no. 5275 on Law on the Execution of Sentences and Security Measures