Arrest of 77% Disabled Kişik Brought to Parliamentary Agenda

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Peoples' Democratic Party Bingöl MP Hişyar Özsoy has submitted a motion to the Parliament regarding the 77% physically disabled Ufuk Kişin who was detained in an operation in İzmir and was arrested six days later.

In the motion submitted to be responded by Minister of Justice Abdülhamit Gül, Özsoy asked how the arrest should be explained from a human rights based point of view.

According to the Human Rights Association, there are 1,025 sick prisoners behind bars 357 of whom have severe illnesses.

Arrested despite medical report

In a police operation carried out on December 19, 2017 in some districts of İzmir province, 53 people consisting mostly of HDP members were taken into custody.

29 of the detainees were later arrested on the charge of "being a member of an illegal organization" or propagandizing for a terrorist organization".

Nurali Kişin, Fidan Kişin and their 30 year-old son Ufuk Kişin from Bingöl province were among the detainees.

In the motion, Özsoy reminded that Ufuk Kişin had a medical report confirming that he had lost 77% of his physical functions and were thus disabled.

Despite the medical report, the court ruled that both Kişin and his parents be arrested on December 25, 2017.

The motion

Following questions were addressed in the motion:

* How can the arrest of a 77% disabled citizen be explained from a human rights-based point of view?

* How can such an arrest contribute to the "fight against terror"?

* Has your Ministry taken any action with regards to releasing hundreds of sick arrestees or convicted, like Ufuk Kişin, in accordance with the provisions of universal human rights law, or will it take any such action?

* If there has not been any such effort, what is the rationale behind this? (AS/DG)