9 Demands from 393 Women for Prisoners’ Right to Life and Health

"Women want the elimination of inequality in the Law on Criminal Enforcement and the protection of arrestees' and convicts' right to life and health"

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

* The law on criminal enforcement has been approved by the Constitutional Court in terms of form considerations, it will be examined as to the merits. The law has the characteristics of a partial amnesty. The Constitution stipulates that legislation on amnesty shall be enacted by a three-fifth majority. Consider that the law is against the principle of equality as per the Article 10 of the Constitution, the principle of rule of law as per the Article 2 of the Constitution and the prohibition of discrimination as per the Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

* Release women, children and disadvantaged groups whose right to life cannot be safeguarded in penal institutions immediately by establishing equality in the discriminatory law on criminal enforcement.

* Ensure that the ones with chronic diseases and the aged, who are at the highest risk in the outbreak, can serve their sentences at home even if they are convicted and release the arrestees with judicial control measures.

* Refer all prisoners with symptoms of flu to hospital immediately.

* Disinfect all areas of use frequently, give prisoners hygiene and cleaning products, distribute masks and gloves free of charge.

* According to the report of Justice Ministry, dozens of wardens in open prisons have tested positive for coronavirus. Test wardens every day.

* Make sure that the relatives of arrestees are informed about the decisions of the Ministry of Justice, remove the restrictions on phone calls and eliminate the concerns of prisoners' relatives by giving the prisoners the right to make two 20-minute phone calls a week.

* Let prisons be inspected by medical chambers.

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393 right-defending women have released a joint statement and shared the above nine demands with the public so that the right to life and health of arrestees and convicts can be safeguarded in Turkey's prisons.

Demanding the elimination of inequality in the recently enacted Law on Criminal Enforcement and the protection of arrestees' and convicts' right to life and health, women have briefly stated the following:

'Only bans imposed against the outbreak'

"We, women, know that women are going through the worst in prisons in these bad days, as it is the case in every other area of life.

"It has troubled the public conscience that prisons are one of the places with the highest risk in terms of coronavirus outbreak and the complicated and extremely unjust Law on Criminal Enforcement enacted due to the overcapacity in prisons has left political prisoners out of its scope.

"We defend life, above all else. No one shall be held in prisons in conditions where their right to life is not safeguarded. However, no one can convince us women about the legitimacy of releasing the criminals of injury and the ones who inflicted violence on women and children while keeping politicians and the ones who expressed their thoughts behind bars.

"The reports released about prisons and the information given by lawyers and families of prisoners these days are making us more concerned. It seems that only bans have been imposed against the outbreak, measures have not been taken about the right to health and life in prisons and, moreover, prisoners have been left to their own fates.

Problems of food and hygiene

"While the immune systems of prisoners are already weak and more different needs of women are not met, the service of hot meals has also been stopped now and prisoners have started to be given dry food.

"As the reason for this, it has been indicated that food is prepared in open prisons and no food can be given because the convicts held in these open prisons have been released.

"The places where arrestees and convicts stay are disinfected once a month, they are not give enough cleaning and hygiene products and they are not handed out masks and gloves. Canteens in prisons do not have disinfectants with alcohol that are effective against the virus and the products are sold at the canteens at excessive prices.

'Violations faced by women politicians voiced less'

"As a reflection of the gender discrimination that prevails in every field, it is observed that the violations that we are trying to share are worse in prisons like Kandıra, where women politicians and co-chairs are held.

"While women in politics strive to ensure the visibility and representation of women and make their voices heard in fields that they have opened with great struggle, women politicians are made inivisible in prisons. It means that the violations faced by them come to the fore less often.

'News from political prisoners are worrisome'

"Deprived of an opportunity to go to sick room or hospital, unable to meet in groups or receive parcels, letters and books and with their right to shop at the canteen dropped to once in two weeks in many prisons, prisoners see wardens everyday while they cannot meet their families and lawyers.

"As in the case of several prisons where it is also not possible to keep physical distance due to the high number of political prisoners, worrisome news are coming from political prisoners in Kandıra Prison, where several politician women, especially Gültan Kışanak, Sebahat Tuncel, Selma Irmak, Çağlar Demirel, Figen Yüksekdağ, Aysel Tuğluk, Gülser Yıldırım, Nurhayat Altun and Edibe Şahin stay.

"While it is possible to realize their request for being released pending trial immediately, the courts on duty that do not know the cases and do not want to take 'responsibility' are uttering the words of 'continuation of arrest' without examining the files, thereby disregarding the life safety of nine politician women and all prisoners in Kandıra Prison in the days of outbreak. We consider the current judicial process to be a grave violation of right to life and 'a murder slowed down/extended over time'."

Signatories

Ada Ümmühan Köse, Adalet Kaya, Arzu Eylem Kayaoğlu, Arzu Kurt, Arzuhan Halis, Aslı Takanay, Asya Ülker, Atiye Arıkan, Ayfer Saki, Ayla Çelik, Aylin Barcın, Aylin Doğan, Aylin Yüksel, Aynur Cengiz, Aynur Dik, Aynur Hayrullahoğlu, Aynur Lale, Aynur Özoğurlu, Aysel Hoşgit, Aysel Sağır, Ayseli Saki, Ayşe Acinikli, Ayşe Berktay, Ayşe Erdem, Ayşe Erzan, Ayşe Gökkan, Ayşe Gözen, Ayşe Güney, Ayşe Hür, Ayşe Mattli, Ayşegül Başar, Ayşegül Başer, Ayşegül Devecioğlu, Ayşegül İyidoğan, Ayşegül Uygun, Ayşen Candaş, Banu Eriş, Banu Paker, Başak Salihler, Berciş Mani, Beril Eyüboğlu, Beritan Kalbişen, Berrin Uyar, Beyza Çelenligil Kutay, Beyza Üstün, Bircan Yorulmaz, Birgül Sönmez Şimşek, Burcu Acar, Buse Üçer, Canan Arın, Candan Dumrul, Candan Yıldız, Cemile Baklacı, Cemile Kuzu, Cemre Baytok, Cennet Nurdan Parlak, Cevriye Aydın, Cihan Aydın Bozkurt, Çağdaş Demet Güler, Çağdaş Demir, Çağla Akdere, Çağla Demir, Çağla Yolaşan, Çiğdem Çidamlı, Çiğdem Kozan, Çiğdem Yalçın, Damla Eroğlu, Delal Revşen Fındıkcı, Deniz Derinyol, Deniz Devrim Dede, Deniz Erdoğdu, Deniz Polattaş, Deniz Tuna, Deniz Tunç, Deniz Türkali, Derya Apaydın, Devrim Avcı Özkurt, Dilan Dirayet Taşdemir, Dilcen Kaya, Dilek Çankaya, Dilek Gökçin, Dilek Güzel, Dilek Hattatoğlu, Dilek Sevgi Ataç, Dilşa Deniz, Dilşat Aktaş, Duygu Tuna, Ebru Atakan Öztatar, Ebru Simeklioğlu, Ebru Sorgun, Ebru Yıldırım, Ecem Öztürk, Ekin Yeter, Elif Aytaç, Elif Bulut, Elif Ege, Elif Ergin, Elif Taşdöğen, Elif Yetiğin, Elvan Olkun, Emel Ataktürk, Emine Erel, Emine Tak, Emine Uşaklığil, Eren Keskin, Esma Yaşar, Esra Baş, Esra Çiftçi, Esra Erin, Esra Koç, Esra Mungan, Evin Doğu, Evin Kışanak, Evren Altınel, Evren Kocabıçak, Evrim İnan, Eylem Sarıoğlu Aslandoğan, Eylem Zengin, Ezgi Güngördü, F. Ceren Akçabay, Fatma Aytaç, Fatma Balpetek, Fatma Baş, Fatma Bayram, Fatma Gök, Fatma Koçyiğit, Fatma Tanyeri, Fatmagül Berktay, Fatoş Pütün, Feride Eralp, Feryal Saygılıgil, Fethiye Çetin, Feyha Karslı, Fiğen Ertem, Filiz Fırtına, Filiz Karakuş, Filiz Kerestecioğlu, Filiz Şahin, Firdevs Hoşer, Firdevs Yazıcı, Fulya Dağlı, Funda Ekin, Füsun Doğan, Füsun Ertuğ, Gamze Abay, Gamze Gökoğlu Şimşek, Gamze Özkök, Gaye Onurer, Gönül Dinçer, Gönül Korkmaz, Gönül Sevindir, Gulan Çağın Kaleli, Gurbet Uçar, Gül Altay, Gülay Kılıçaslan, Gülcihan Şimşek, Gülfer Akkaya, Gülfiye Aktaş, Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, Güliz Kaptan, Güliz Sağlam, Gülnur Elçik, Gülnur Acar Savran, Gülnur Aksop, Gülseren Kayır, Gülseren Pusatlıoğlu, Gülsevil Erdem, Gülsüm Ağaoğlu, Gülşah Kaya, Gülşah Şahir, Gülşenay Dalveren, Gülşin Ketenci, Gültan Ergün , Gülyeter Aktepe, Güneş Yılmaz Baştuğ, Hacer Ansal, Halime Güner, Hamiyet Akkaya, Handan Koç, Hande Gülen, Hande Karahan, Hanife Yüksel, Hasbiye Günaçtı, Hasibe Rengin Güvenç, Hatice Ödemiş, Hazal Yaşacan, Heval Yıldız Karasu, Hicran Danışman, Hilal Alkan, Huri Özdoğan, Hülya Dinçer, Hülya Osmanağaoğlu, Hülya Uygun, Işıl Özgentürk, İdil Uğurlu, İlke Işık, İlknur Alcan, İnci Bilaloğlu, İnci Hekimoğlu, İncilay Erdoğan, Jale Gökoğlu, Julide Kural, Kamile Dinçsoy, Kardelen Taş, Kumru Başer, Kübra Kurtoğlu, Lale Bakırezer, Latife Demirci Kahya, Latife Fegan, Leman Yurtsever, Leyla Han Tüzel, Leyla Kaplan Kertiş, Liz Amado, Lütfiye Bozdağ, Mebuse Tekay, Mehtap Aksan, Mehtap Okuyan, Melda Erbatur, Melek Göregenli, Melek Ulugay Taylan, Melike Çınar, Meral Camcı, Meriç Eyüboğlu, Meryem Koray, Meryem Turan, Mihri İnal Çakır, Miray Demir, Mizgin Irgat, Mukaddes Erdoğdu Çelik, Mukaddes Yüksel, Munise Görgül, Mücella Yapıcı, Müge Yamanyılmaz, Müjgan Arpat, Nadire Mater, Nagehan Avcil, Nakiye Boran, Naran Özka, Nazan Üstündağ, Nazlı Andan, Nebiye Arı, Nebiye Merttürk, Necmiye Alpay, Nefise Sormageç, Nehir Kovar, Nesrin Nas, Nesrin Sungur Çakmak, Nesrin Şenol, Nesteren Davutoğlu, Neşe Özgen, Neşe Sönmez, Neşe Yaşin, Nihan Aksakallı, Nil Mutluer, Nilgün Doğançay, Nilgün Toker, Nilgün Yurdalan, Nimet Demir, Nimet Tanrıkulu, Nurcan Özkaplan, Nupelda Çelik, Nur Betül Çelik, Nur İlhan, Nur Yazıcı, Nurhan Ercan, Nurten Ertuğrul, Nurten Tuc, Okşan Koçkar Erdoğan, Olcay Korkmaz, Oya Baydar, Oya Ersoy, Oya Öznur, Oya Sönmez, Öğet Öktem, Özengül Ergün, Özge Savaş, Özgül Saki, Özgür Sevgi Göral, Özlem Arıcı, Özlem Devrim Bahar, Özlem Marc, Özlem Özkan, Özlem Özkan, Özüm Vurgun, Pelin Songül Çiçek, Perihan Koca, Perihan Meşeli, Pınar Aydınlar, Pınar Dokuz, Pınar Erol Pur, Pınar Saip, Rengin Ergül, Reyda Ergün, Reyhan Yalçındağ, Rojda Yıldırım, Rozerin Seda Kip, Ruken Gülağacı, Rüya Kurtuluş, Saynur Gürçay, Seher Kalkan, Selin Çağatay, Selin Top, Selin Yılmaz, Selma Atabey, Semiha Arı, Semra Somersan, Semra Ulusoy, Serap Eroğlu, Serra Akcan, Sevda Çetinkaya, Sevgi Atay, Sevgi Binbir, Sevgi Özlem Gülmez, Sevgi Zülfükar, Sevil Aracı Bek, Sevil Öcal, Sevim Çelikcan, Sevim Erdem, Sevim Lektemur, Sevna Somuncuoğlu, Sezen Yılmaz, Sıdıka Özdemir, Sibel Perçinel, Simten Coşar, Songül Beydilli, Songül Soytürk, Sozdar Ortaç, Sultan Güner, Suzan İşbilen, Suzan Saner, Şahika Hancı, Şahika Yüksel, Şaneşin Aydın, Şaziye Önder, Şebnem Korur Fincancı, Şehbal Şenyurt, Şehide Zehra Keleş, Şehriban Parlak, Şemsa Özar, Şemse Kutsal, Şener Büyükbektaş Macit, Şengül Yüksel, Şevin Kaya, Şeyda Talu, Şiva Alizade, Şöhret Baltaş, Şule Şilan Işık, Şükran Şakir, Tebessüm Yılmaz, Tennur Koyuncuoğlu, Tuğçe Canbolat, Tuğçe Ercan, Tuğçe Özçelik, Tül Akbal, Tülin Eroğlu, Tülin Semayiş, Türkan Kaytan, Türkan Tanse, Ülker Sayın, Ümide Aysu, Ümmühan Kursun, Viki Çiprut, Viyan Kınalı, Yakın Ertürk, Yaprak Damla Yıldırım, Yaprak Zihnioğlu, Yasemin Ahi, Yasemin Bektaş, Yasemin Göksu, Yasemin Gülbol, Yasemin Özgün, Yaşere Kılıç, Yelda Kocak, Yeşim Dinçer, Yeter Tabak, Yıldız İmrek, Yonca Demir, Yonca Verdioğlu, Yüksel Selek, Z. Gizem Sayın, Zale Karademir, Zarife Akbulut, Zehra Arat, Zehra Şenoğuz, Zekiye Arikel, Zelal Yıldırım, Zeynep Çelik, Zeynep Gambetti, Zeynep Kıvılcım, Zeynep Oral, Zeynep Tanbay, Zöhre Dalkıran, Zübeyde Tüfekçi, Züleyha Gülüm.

(EKN/SD)