‘Deniz Gezmiş As Well Ended Up With Getting Hanged’ Threat Against Prisoners

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“I am concerned about life safety of my son”

Father of O.K., who is imprisoned in Şakran Prison in İzmir, S.K. expressed his concern in the petition of complaint he submitted to Aliağa Prosecutor’s Office with those words.

In the complaint, he stated that his son

“When you leave here, you will be traced all the way to your families”

In the second petition of complaint, attorney of the nine people, who were arrested on charge of “illegal organization propaganda” after having attended May 1 demonstration, stated that the prisoners were threatened from July 14 to July 17, were subjected psychological and physical torture, and demanded that the prison administrators and wardens be tried.

The prison management’s attitude was described in the petition submitted by attorney Erdoğan Akdoğdu as follows:

“The directors threatened all of them with death. Insult and swearing have become a routine. One of the directors summoned the clients to his room and threatened them saying ‘These are all included on your file. State has many prisons. When you leave here, you will be traced all the way to your families. You are potential criminals, don’t cause any problem, don’t bother me. Deniz Gezmiş was put behind bars, he as well ended up with getting hanged’”.

“We won’t let you live if you don’t stand up”

Progressive Legists’ Association İzmir Branch Secretary, attorney Akdoğdu told bianet his meeting with the nine prisoners:

“They were subjected to a torture called ‘vulgar beating’. On July 15, a prison director and as many as 30 wardens entering the ward utter threats like ‘if you don’t stand up, if you don’t get in single line, we won’t let you live, we will ruin you’ and batter the prisoners.

“They were subjected to the heaviest torture on July 17. As many as 40 wardens, gendarmerie and one of the prison directors enter the ward, the prisoners are taken to the yard, they are thrown down the floor and beaten for 10 minutes”.

“The doctor saying ‘there is nothing wrong here’ but gave me medicine”

Of the prisoners, U.K. told lawyers:

“We were taken to the infirmary. I told the doctor my complaints. He said ‘I don’t see anything’. I saw the mark on my arm, he said ‘There is nothing wrong here’ and didn’t write a report. He gave me painkiller, muscle relaxant and ointment”.

Attorney Akdoğdu also said that since the suspects are still on their duties, there is a risk of spoliation of evidence, thus the necessary steps must be taken as soon as possible.