Allegations of Torture in Elazığ Prison on Parliamentary Agenda

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Van MP Tayip Temel has submitted a parliamentary question regarding the allegation that the newly-appointed 2nd Director of Elazığ No.2 High Security Prison E.İ. gave an instruction to the wardens to inflict systematic torture on inmates.

In his parliamentary question addressed to Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül, Temel has underlined that though the inmates have filed several complaints, no investigations have been launched against E.İ., who allegedly gave similar orders in Şakran Prison in İzmir as well.

'When will a legal action be taken?'

HDP MP Temel has addressed the following questions:

• On what grounds has no investigation been launhced against E.İ.? When will a legal action be taken against this person?
• On what legal basis is this person still on duty though it is alleged that he is known as a 'torturer' and there are allegations of corruption against him?
• Is it within your knowledge that prison administrations give orders on their own initiative?
• Is the Elazığ No. 2 High Security Prison inspected to prevent any human rights violations and to take the necessary measures? When was the most recent inspection conducted in this prison?

'Arbitrary treatment and punishment on the increase'

According to the Report on Human Rights Violations Committed in Turkey in 2018 released by the Human Rights Association (İHD) in April 2019, the previous year passed in prisons as follows:

* All types of arbitrary treatment and arbitrary disciplinary punishments have reached an unprecedented dimension over the last years.

* In complaints filed by inmates in prisons, 1,149 people stated that they were subjected to torture and ill treatment. 160 other people indicated that they were tortured or maltreated due to the imposition to become an agent.

* According to the latest data shared by the İHD on April 7, 2019, there are 458 seriously ill inmates in the prisons of Turkey.

* At least 23 people suspiciously died in prisons. At least five people, one of whom was a trans woman, suspiciously lost their lives in detention. (AS/SD)