‘1,605 ill prisoners behind bars in Turkey, 604 seriously ill’

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According to the Human Rights Association (İHD), there are 1,605 ill prisoners in Turkey; 604 of them are seriously ill.

Among these ill prisoners are also the ones with chronic, multiple diseases, those suffering from pulmonary, cardiac diseases and cancer and the ones who are too old and ill to sustain their lives on their own.

Yıldırım Demir, who is held in the Bolu Type F Closed Prison, is one of these ill prisoners. The İHD has shared information about his medical condition, stressing that he must be fully provided with medical examination and treatment and he must be taken to doctors' appointments.

The İHD has noted that "there is a 95-percent vision loss in Demir's right eye and he was told that there was no treatment." Having undergone a surgery for cataract in his left eye some 2 years ago, Demir is reportedly to have a laser surgery for his ongoing problems in his left eye.

"But when he went to a doctor's check afterwards, he was told by another doctor that it was not necessary. Everytime he goes to the doctor's check, he is given synthetic tears and sent back to prison. The vision in his left eye is now blurry. He has undergone six angios for his eyes so far."

Sharing further details about Demir's health condition, the İHD has said that he also suffers from reflux, gastric ulcer and gastritis. He had gastric bleeding two times and even though the prison's doctor has prescribed diet food, it is inedible and very low in nutritional value. The Association has noted that Demir also has irritable colon syndrome and internal hemorrhoids.

'Not treated, but given temporary medication'

According to the İHD, ill prisoner Yıldırım Demir also has meniscus tears in his two knees, suffers from prostate, has vertigo, ringing and hearing loss in his ears and he is a chronic bronchitis patient.

"He has cervical disc syndrome in an advanced stage and he was sent back to prison without having a surgery when he was referred from Bolu to the Ankara Numune Hospital because the doctor at the Numune Hospital said that 'he would be paralyzed after the surgery'."

The İHD has underlined that with the pandemic cited as an excuse, Demir's illnesses are not treated and when he goes to hospital, he is sent back to prison after he is given temporary medication.

According to the İHD, the Nevşehir Public Hospital gave him a 41-percent disability report in 2016 and sent him to the İstanbul Forensic Medical Institution. However, the latter issued a medical report indicating that Yıldırım Demir was "in a state to stay in prison."

Raising concerns that Yıldırım Demir's health condition is deteriorating with each passing day, the İHD Freedom for Ill Prisoners Initiative has stressed that he must be fully provided with medical examination and treatment and taken to doctors' appointments.

Moreover, the Initiative has requested that Demir be referred to the Forensic Medical Institution again for his illnesses that prevent him from sustaining his life on his own and underlined that his release must be ensured so that his treatment will be done in more healthy conditions. (AÖ/SD)