400 Thousand Disabled Denied the Right to Vote

I gave my vote a little while ago but it was rather a struggle. Electoral commission chair, the gendarmerie and myself were in a discussion. It was all because I wanted to vote despite being in a wheelchair!

My brother told the voting official that I wasn't able to climb to stairs to reach the ballot box and asked them to come downstairs. He refused to do so and replied: "You have to carry your brother up here!" My brother told them that they were obliged to bring down the ballot box and related material. After all, it's in the legislation. Law 298 on elections states, "All necessary precautions should be taken to grant the right to vote to disabled persons."

My brother told the chairperson that he would file a complaint if they did not fulfill their duties, . He insisted. Security was called. Gendarmerie officer offered to carry me upstairs as a solution. I explained that this was not the problem; I have the right to vote unassisted. The High Commission on Elections (YSK) ignores our right to vote and fails to provide the necessary arrangements. The situation remained unresolved and when I insisted, the reply was horrifying: "So you shouldn't vote!"

Finally, I gave in. Two people carried me upstairs, while I stayed in my wheelchair. I voted, fulfilling my duty as a citizen. When I turned back to go down the stairs, there was nobody around.

The problem isn't confined to voting. Disabled persons face such difficulties in all fields of social and public services. Yet, there isn't any solution in the foreseeable future to end this shame.(BK/EÜ)

* Bülent Küçükaslan is the editor of engelliler. biz, a portal on disabled persons. A summary of his article is translated into English.