Medical committee report: Aytaç Ünsal should be discharged from hospital

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Death fasting lawyer Aytaç Ünsal's mother and attorney, Nermin Ünsal, said that his son can hardly walk and can't sleep:

"His pains have increased, he can't sleep because of the pain. If he sleeps for half an hour, he stays awake for three hours. Wounds have begun to open in his mouth, his hands are numb. He says his toes hurt as if they were cut and pressed in salt when he stands up. He has difficulty walking. His sensitivity to voice, light and scent has increased. He is heading to death rapidly, if we want to make him live, a concrete step must be taken. I'm calling out to the authorities, stop this death."

Aytaç Ünsal's mother is also his companion at the hospital. Speaking to bianet, she said, "They are speeding up the death of Aytaç, for whom the İstanbul Forensic Medicine Institution said, 'He can't stay in prison,' by keeping him in a pandemic hospital. They want to kill him, too."

Ebru Timtik, who had been on a death fast together with Ünsal, lost her life on August 28, the 238th day. Ünsal is on the 212th day of the death fast.

"Staying at a pandemic hospital is a risk"

A report signed by seven doctors at the Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Training and Research Hospital, where Ünsal is held, states that his immune system has collapsed, it is risky for him to stay in the hospital due to the pandemic and he should be discharged as he doesn't accept treatment.

It doesn't make a difference for him to stay in the hospital or not, the report says, noting the principle that prevents medical intervention on mentally healthy individuals against their will.

The report was sent to the court 16 days later

The report dated August 5 has been sent to the Provincial Health Directorate.

Nermin Ünsal said that the Directorate put the report on hold for 16 days and sent it to the İstanbul 37th Heavy Penal Court on August 21.

"The court sent the report to the Court of Cassation. From there, it was sent to the court of Cassation Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The Prosecutor's Office, without taking into account the report, gave an opinion that there was no need to express an opinion about the request for release. The report was sent to the 16th Penal Chamber of the Court of Cassation. The Court of Cassation has not given a decision regarding the file or the request for release."

The file has been at the Court of Cassation for seven months and the court has begun examining the file on June 1, Nermin Ünsal noted. "When the Court of Cassation took the file in the examination, it had stated that it would give a ruling in one month but there has not been a ruling although it has been three months."

Interference with the judiciary

There has been an interference with the judiciary, according to Nermin Ünsal:

"While many rights, especially the right to life, are guaranteed by the Constitution, the state does not protect this right, stays silent. After the death of Ebru Timik, unlawfulness was attempted to be covered up with information pollution and fake news.

"When local courts gave unlawful rulings one after another, Minister of Justice Abdülhamit Gül said, 'Let's wait for the Court of Cassation,' but after Timtik died, he stated, 'The court gave a ruling and, like it or not, everyone has to accept it.

"With this, a clear message was sent to the judiciary. Minister Gül didn't even try to appear neutral. The Minister interfered with the file with his statements. While international bar associations and professional organizations prepare reports about the unlawfulness in the case, Minister Gül is not disturbed at all by the death of a lawyer for the right to a fair trial." (AS/VK)