Sick Prisoner Sibel Çapraz To Be Released

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Sibel Çapraz, arrested since March 2, 2016 was released by court in today's (February 28) hearing. The court has decided to put Çapraz under house arrest.

Prosecution demanded punishment over "membership to an illegal organization"

In the hearing held before Yüksekova High Criminal Court, Prosecutor Mithat Öz demanded that Çapraz be convicted of "being a member of a terrorist organization (Article 314/2 Turkish Criminal Code).

As the reason for the charges, Prosecutor Öz pointed out to a press conference Çapraz had held, her position as the Yüksekova Democratic Society Council co-Chair and claimed that she had "acted with the intention to prevent the hitches from being removed" while demanding her acquittal from the charge of "inciting people to hatred and hostility" on the grounds that she had not held the press statement which became the subject of charges herself.

Upon Çapraz's attorney Banu Güven's request, that Çapraz be released due to her health condition, the court has decided to release Çapraz and put her into house arrest.

The next hearing will be on May 11, 2017.

What had happened?

Sibel Çapraz was injured with a bullet hitting her body as she was doing "noisy protest" with the neighborhood's residents on the street upon gunshots during an operation in Yüksekova district on November 27, 2015. Remaining in intensive unit for nine days, Çapraz was arrested on charge of "being a member of [an] illegal organization" on March 2, 2016.

When arrested, Çapraz, who underwent 15 surgeries during a treatment of 96 days, was being discharged from the hospital where she was receiving treatment to Van Education and Research Hospital to have an operation.

Çapraz firstly stayed in Bakırköy Closed Women Prison, then transferred to İzmir Menemen Type R Prison on June 30. She was transferred to Bakırköy Prison in İstanbul on June 30.

Çapraz still couldn't have the operation of closing colostomy and inversion, which she had to undergo in February 2016.

Çapraz states that she is in pain and has to rely on other inmates to be able to change her colostomy bag for several times a day.
(EA/DG)