'At least 50 ill prisoners died in Türkiye in 2022'

Photo: MA

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At least 50 ill prisoners lost their lives in the first eight months of the year, the Freedom for Lawyers Association (ÖHD) has announced.

Members of the association's Diyarbakır branch gathered in front of the city's courthouse today (September 9) to bring attention to prisoner deaths.

Reading out a statement there, Adile Selman, an executive member of the ÖHD Diyarbakır, said "many prisoners died suspiciously" over the past year.

"Prisons have become places of torture where human rights are violated and every kind of inhumane and degrading treatment is practices," said Selman.

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"Prisoners face serious and grave violations, from violations of their right to life to torture, from access to health services to authoritarian practices," she added.

Last week, Emel Haceroğlu, who was kept in the Diyarbakır Women's Closed Prison, lost her life after being hospitalized in a delayed manner, noted the lawyer.

Also, Mehmet Emin Özkan and Kurdish politician Aysel Tuğluk, both with serious health problems, haven't been released despite countless applications, she said.

"We invite the Ministry of Justice, national and international law and human rights organizations to take action for an approach to the problems on the basis of fundamental rights and freedoms and to evaluate and solve the prisoners' demands accordingly." (RT/VK)