Violence against women prisoners on parliamentary agenda

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Dilan Dirayet Taşdemir has requested a parliamentary inquiry into the allegations of violence against women prisoners in a prison in the eastern Ağrı province.

"As rights violations in Turkey's prisons have been increasing in recent years, Patnos Type-L Closed Prison has become one of the prisons with most violations with officials' discriminatory and racist attitude towards arrestees," said Taşdemir. "It was reported in the press that nearly 30 wardens battered women prisoners on June 23, 2021."

Mizgin Kayıtbey and Lale Kabişen, who are arrested in the prison, were reportedly tortured by correction officers during a raid in the women's ward, she added.

"Even though we barought the issue to the parliamentary agenda, we could not get a response. The Van Bar Association Prisons Commission and the Lawyers for Freedom Association (ÖHD) released the report regarding their impressions in the prison.

"After the torture of the prisoners were reported in the press and the families and attorneys applied to them, lawyers met arrestees separately in the Patnos Type-L Prisons. They have stated that they confirm the allegations of beating after the meetings."

Taşdemir said a parliamentary inquiry should be opened into the incident to eliminate rights violations and the necessary measures to be taken. (EMK/VK)