Reading Books “Criticizing the State” is Forbidden!
Imprisoned for four months in Maltepe L-Type Prison, British Steve Kaczynski (52) has been on hunger strike for 15 days since he doesn’t have his magazines, newspapers and books. Prison Warden said he couldn’t allow books criticizing the state to lawyers of Kaczynski. There isn’t any proscriptive decision for the books or magazines.
Steve Kaczynski’s brother Brian Kaczynski and lawyers Güçlü Sevimli, Ceren Uysal, Aycan Çiçek, Naciye Demir and Günay Dağ from Contemporary Lawyers' Association (ÇHD) made a press statement in İstanbul on July 9. Arresting process and current situation of Steve Kaczynski, conditions of the prison and attitude of prison officials were told.
“Steve Kaczynski has written petitions so many times for the problem to be solved and seen management of the prison but he started to go on hunger strike since he didn’t have any result,” said lawyer Güçlü Sevimli.
His family wasn’t informed
Brian Kaczynski said:
“We learned my brother was arrested from newspaper in Scotland. They said he was a terrorist. Even they claimed he was working for England and Germany intelligence service. Steve was born in 1963 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Our father is American, our mother is Scottish. Steve attended Edinburgh University Department of German and Russian Language. He speaks five languages. He is an international socialist and idealist. He wasn’t arrested or detained before. It is very nonsense to call him an agent. You cannot image him to be connected with a terrorist organization”
“Wrong place at the wrong time”
Steve Kaczynski was charged with being a member of terrorist organization in raid carried out in İstanbul İdil Culture Center where he came for a symposium on April 2, 2015. He was asked why he was in Turkey. His objections were declined.
He is kept in a cell all alone now. He breathes fresh air for an hour in company with guardians throughout the day
“My brother was in the wrong place in the wrong time,” said Brian Kaczynski.
“We are worried about his health and security. We don’t know the accusations made against him. His trial date is uncertain.”
No answer to Scottish Parliament
Brian Kaczynski told he came to Turkey to get information about his brother.
“I and our lawyer in Britain couldn’t understand why Steve has been kept in prison for four months without a trial or accusation.”
Situation of Kaczynski has been submitted to Scottish Parliament. Parliament asked why Steve Kaczynski has been kept in prison for four months to Republic of Turkey Ministry of Justice. However, Turkey didn’t give any answer.
Prison guardian measures Steve’s tension
Seen Steve Kaczynski on Monday, Lawyer Demir told “Kaczynski was exhausted and the situation got worse due to his high blood pressure.”
“He isn’t under physician supervision, prison guardians measure his tension,” said Lawyer Demir.
Kaczynski couldn’t take his Vitamin B pills.
“Communist-fascist ideology” ban
Lawyer Dağ told:
“We saw Prison Warden on July 3. We reminded him Kaczynski’s request was legal but we faced an illegal attitude. Prison Warden said, ‘I cannot allow books criticizing the state in prison. I cannot let communist-fascist ideology books in’.”
“As being lawyers, we tried to tell the books weren’t forbidden and they also came from other F-Type Prisons after being read by inmates and Steve’s request wasn’t illegal and against the law. He just told us to go and take legal action.
Günay Dağ added Kaczynski was prevented from faxing to his lawyer and seeing his lawyer couldn’t be forbidden or inspected according to the law. (AS/BD)
Click here to read the article in Turkish