Activists to Walk to Ankara For Sick Inmates

Members of Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch Prison Commission will start a march to Ankara in order to raise awareness on sick inmates and urge for their immediate release. 

Prior to the march, iHD released a statement citing Justice Ministry’s tolls that at least 2,641 inmates died in high security confinement prisons, known as F-type, in Turkey.  

Some of the highlights from the statement are as follows: 

“At the moment, the number of gravely sick inmates is 235. In total, there are 642 sick inmates. This is only what IHD can trace down. 

“Not only that Justice Ministry officials don’t do any research on the exact numbers, they don’t let other NGOs do either. The real tolls are more than what we can detect here.

“According to ministry tolls, at least 14 inmates died in prison while awaiting for a release application result. Turkey’s Forensics Institute issue a release report only 1 out of 10 applications. So far, it has declined 417 applications out of 460. 

“While the conditions make it impossible to receive treatment in prisons, inmates are sent to full-equipped hospitals before they could apply for a release. Only after that, they can apply to the Forensics Institute. 

“Officials handcuff sick inmates during their transfer to treatment to Metris Prison [the only prison with a full-equipped medical facility]. While some release reports take 9 months to be issues, some patients die while awaiting for release. 

“The torment of sick inmates is not limited to the release report procedures. After that, authorities demand prosecutor opinion on whether the aforementioned inmates ‘would pose a threat to the society’ [if released]. It is quite exceptional to pass this level. 

“Sick inmates suffering from paralysis, lacking limbs, losing their vision or having advanced stages of cancer are faced with ‘public threat opinions’ and sent back to their prison cells.” 

The program 

* Start of march with a press statement outside Bakırköy Women’s Prison today at 11:30 am local time. 

* Press statements outside Metris,  Ümraniye and Gebze Prisons throughout the day. 

* Press statements outside Kandıra, Bolu and Sincan Prisons on June 24. 

* March to Justice Ministry and Parliament in Ankara on June 27. Talks with officials and submission of draft proposals. (AS/BM) 

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.