‘Transfer Problem in Prisons’ on Parliamentary Agenda

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People's Democratic Party (HDP) Kocaeli MP and Human Rights Investigation Commission member Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu has submitted a parliamentary inquiry regarding the problems of the inmates who have been transferred to prisons that are far away from their families and relatives.

Stating that the problem in question affects not only the prisoners themselves, but also their families and children, Gergerlioğlu has emphasized that the ones who want to see and meet the inmates have to cover a kilometers-long distance to go to the prisons.

Reminding the financial burden of such a journey on the families and relatives of the prisoners, Gergerlioğlu has stated,

"The reason why a prisoner, whose family lives in (Turkey's eastern province of) Van, is transferred to (Turkey's southwestern province) of Edirne or why an inmate, whose family lives in Edirne, is sent to a prison in (Turkey's southwestern province of) Antalya cannot be explained with reason."

Gergerlioğlu has also cited the letters that he has received from the families of the inmates regarding the issue in the inquiry.

How many children were taken under state protection?

In his parliamentary inquiry addressed to Vice President Fuat Oktay, HDP Kocaeli MP Gergerlioğlu has asked the following questions:

* How many inmates have requested to be transferred to a prison closer to the place of residence of their families over the last two years? How many of these requests have been answered in the affirmative?

* Is it a true allegation that the prisoners and convicts are sent to prisons that are far away from their families in order to punish their families as well?

* How many children have been taken under the protection of the state on the ground that their mothers or fathers have been in prison?

* What concrete steps are planned to be taken in order to resolve the prison transfer problems? (AS/SD)