Prisoners 'forced to kill themselves' in İstanbul transferred to other prisons

Photo: Ministry of Justice

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The Human Rights Association (İHD) Delegation for Monitoring Prisons in Marmara Region has announced its findings regarding the rights violations in İstanbul's Silivri No. 5 Type-L Prison.

Lawyer Gülseren Yoleri, the head of the İHD İstanbul Branch, said they had confirmed the recent reports of torture and forced suicide in the prison during their visit.

Ten prisoners whom the guards tortured and attempted to force to kill themselves have been transferred to other prisons, she said.

The İHD delegation who visited the prison yesterday (April 14) were told, "If you are looking for the prisoners whose names are mentioned on social media, all of them have been transferred to other prisons," she noted.

A prisoner was recently killed in Silivri Prison. While his cause of death was announced as a heart attack, his surfaced photos showed he was severely injured, apparently because of torture.

CLICK - Prisoner: Warden gave a rope and said, 'Hang yourself'

CLICK - 'Prisoners attempted to commit suicide following wardens' torture in Silivri Prison'

"We have met a prisoner who was not involved in the incidents but witnessed them. The prisoner said they had heard the voices and seen two people handcuffed behind the back being taken by about 20 correction officers while being mistreated," Yoleri remarked.

"They also stated that all prisoners were deliberately ill-treated and repressed, and there was great tension due to the repression.

"In response to our request to meet the prison administration, it was stated that they were at a meeting and the meeting would end late. T was then sad they could not make an appointment due to the workload." (RT/VK)