Forensic Medicine Institute decides another prisoner with cancer 'can stay in prison'

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The Forensic Medicine Institute (ATK) has issued a report that Yusur Özmen, a prisoner with cancer, can continue to stay in prison despite five different hospitals concluding otherwise, according to the Initiative for Freedom for Ill Prisoners.

To draw attention to the situation of ill prisoners, the group held a demonstration in front of the Human Rights Association (İHD) Ankara Branch for the 380th straight week.

It noted that two seriously ill prisoners, Abdulrezzak Suyur (56) and Halil Güneş (51)2 lost their lives in a week. Shortly before Güneş's death, the ATK had concluded that he could stay in prison, the group said.

Arrested despite having cancer

Özmen was arrested in February 2018 despite having cancer, it said. "In March 2017, it was learned that he had testicular cancer and his left testicle was removed by surgery. He started to receive chemotherapy in June 2017 due to the malignancy of the removed mass, and this treatment continued until September 2017."

Five different hospitals issued reports that Özmen cannot stay in prison and meet his needs by himself, said the initiative. "Even though he said that he has cancer and he has no possibility of escaping, Yusuf Özmen was put in Iğdır Prison and, after being held there for five days, was transferred to the Patnos Type-L Prison.

"When he was there, he was frequently taken to the hospital in Erzurum. The Patnos State Hospital issued a report stating that Yusuf Özmen had a 81 percent disability.

"Because there was no oncology service in Patnos, the patient was transferred to the Erzurum Type-H Closed Prison. When he was in Erzurum, a report stating that 'It is life threatening for him to stay in prison' by the Erzurum Training and Research Hospital."

Hospital reports ignored

"Özmen was held in prisons in Iğdır, Patnos, Erzurum, Ankara and İstanbul while he was ill. The ATK's report was taken into account despite hospitals' reports. He was released on September 13, 2019, because of health problems. However, the cancer reached stage 4 and metastasized to the lung in this period.

"After his release, his condition improved a little. However, he came under heavy stress because his sentence was upheld in July 2020. He was arrested again and put in prison on March 5.

"After his release, the Erzurum Training and Research Hospital issued another report that 'It is life threatening for him to stay in prison' but the ATK issued a second report stating that 'he can stay in prison'." (RT/VK)