‘3 prisoners have gone on a hunger strike to protest violations of rights in Elazığ Prison’

* Photo: HDP

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Mardin MP Alican Önlü has announced that three prisoners held in Elazığ Closed Penal Institution have gone on a hunger strike to protests violations of rights in prison.

Stressing that since the day it was opened, Elazığ Prison has come up with pressures, torture and ill treatment of prisoners, Önlü has brought the issue into Parliamentary agenda with a written question.

Addressing a Parliamentary question to Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül, HDP Mardin MP Önlü has briefly said: "In his phone call to his family, Hüseyin Bağ, staying in Elazığ Type T Prison, said that 'there was torture of every stripe in prison' and announced that he and his two other fellow inmates staying in the same ward said 'Enough is enough' and went on a hunger strike to protest the raids conducted to the wards day and night, restrictions on their access to right to health and books, their stuff being thrown on the floor, swearwords and unjust disciplinary punishments."

'How much longer will you stay silent to torture?'

Further in his question, Önlü has underlined that "torture and abuse of rights in prisons can be prevented only when investigations are effectively carried out, torturers are put on trial, discourses leading to further incidents of torture are abandoned and prisons are opened to the inspection of independent delegations." Accordingly, the MP has asked Justice Minister Gül:

"How much longer will you stay silent in the face of violations of rights, torture and ill treatment in Elazığ Prison?

"Considering that you stay silent and do not launch an investigation, does it mean that you approve torture?

"When was the last time Elazığ Prison, which has become a center of torture and violations of rights, was inspected? Were political prisoners consulted with during these inspections?

"How many complaints have reached your Ministry about the violations of rights in Elazığ Closed Penal Institution so far? Upon how many of these complaints has an investigation been launched?

"Based on which bylaw are wards raided day and night, prisoners' right to healthcare prevented, their access to books restricted, their stuff thrown on the floor and they are given unjust disciplinary punishments? Are these practices stipulated by the criminal code?

"Is there any prison personnel or warden investigated over violations of rights committed in Elazığ Closed Penal Institution?

"Is it true that the petitions of prisoners about the incidents in prisons are not processed and their petitions are returned to prisoners? If yes, based on what legal ground is it done?" (RT/SD)