Violence against jailed women politicians on Parliamentary agenda

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) İstanbul MP Züleyha Gülüm has addressed a Parliamentary question to Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül regarding the attacks on women politicians in Sincan Prison.

In her Parliamentary question, Züleyha Gülüm has said, "Held hostage in Sincan Prison, Democratic Regions Party (DBP) former Co-Chair Sebahat Tuncel has announced via her lawyers that there has been systematic violence against women politicians since July 28 in line with the escalating racist attacks in Turkey and there have been attempts of provocation."

The MP has expressed "mounting concerns over a desire to pursue a special policy of oppression in prisons" given that "women politicians are taken from where they get some fresh air to wards by force and violence and they are subjected to counting in the evening in raids."

Questions

"Is a new policy of oppression being developed in prisons with misogynist policies by targeting women waging a struggle for women's freedom?

"Is there any connection between the attacks on women prisoners held in Sincan Prison and the recent racist attacks on Kurdish citizens?

"Will the attacks in Sincan Prison be investigated? Has an administrative action been taken against the officials who inflicted violence on women prisoners? If not, what is the reason for the failure to do so?

"Have you been informed that the letter written to your Ministry by the arrested women politicians was seized? What is the reason for this seizure?"

HDP Women's Assembly: Unacceptable

HDP Women's Assembly has also released a brief written statement about the issue, emphasizing that what happened in Sincan is unacceptable:

"It shows that the racist mindset that massacred 7 Kurds in Konya is prevalent in prisons. This practice, seen in prisons as a reflection of the policies of hate and grudge created by the government, is unacceptable.

"The attacks against prisoners who already live in isolation under the pretext of pandemic exacerbates the isolation. Racist attacks against prisoners are torture, they are violations of rights." (EMK/SD)