‘My husband lives face to face with death’

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Arrested in Elazığ No.1 Prison over the past four years, Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) former Hozat District Co-Chair Deniz Yıldırım has contracted novel coronavirus (COVID-19) behind bars.

Having colon cancer as well, Yıldırım's chemotherapy has recently ended and he is trying to live with his small intestines outside his body. The family of Yıldırım has made a call for sensitivity.

Speaking to Gülcan Dereli from daily Yeni Yaşam, Birsen Doğan Yıldırım, the wife of Deniz Yıldırım, has said that her husband, suspected to have COVID-19, was taken to the Fethi Sekin City Hospital on June 23 and they learned about the incident thanks to the relative of another prisoner.

Indicating that they were supposed to use their right to make a phone call on June 24, but no phone calls came that day, Doğan has said, "I waited for him to call me. When I called the prison to ask why he did not call, the prison confirmed it, it did not give any information."

'His whole immune system has collapsed'

Doğan Yıldırım has indicated that when her husband was diagnosed with the colon cancer, they were again not informed about the issue:

"In the evening of February 3, they called me and said, 'Your husband had a surgery, you can come an see him.' That day was the day of visitation. When we called the prison to ask why he did not call and to learn what happened, they said nothing, but gained time. My husband was apparently taken to surgery at 8 in the evening and we were not informed, as it is also the case now. The doctor told us that the disease had a 1-2 year history. So, my husband had cancer after he entered prison.

"We applied to all necessary authorities for the release of my husband, but to no avail. Now, as if the cancer was not bad enough, he has COVID-19. It is riskier for those who have chronic diseases. His whole immune system has already collapsed. After my husband had the surgery in February, he has started living with his intestines outside his body. He is in a constant need of care for that reason. I am worried about his life. I do not have the opportunity to go to the hospital and meet the doctors. I have two small children."

'My husband lives face to face with death'

Making a call for sensitivity to her husband's situation, Doğan Yıldırım has said, "We want everyone to join voices with us. We want him to be released as soon as possible. My husband does indeed live face to face with death. I do not only speak for my husband, we want all ill arrestees to be released."

'No indictment in the first 2.5 years'

Indicating that her husband was sent to an open prison on December 25, 2015 as part of a public case, Doğan Yıldırım has continued as follows:

"While my husband was about to be released from open prison in a month, he was taken to a closed prison. He was sent to a closed prison on March 29, 2016, solely based on the statement of a single person.

"No indictment was prepared for two and a half years. As there was no indictment, no hearings were held. After the indictment was prepared, hearings were constantly postponed. There is no evidence other than the statement of a single person and that person has withdrawn his/her statement, indicating that s/he gave the statement in torture and was forced to sign the paper by the law enforcement."

Campaign on change.org

An petition has been launched for ill prisoner Deniz Yıldırım on change.org. Click here for the campaign "Raise your voice for Deniz Yıldırım."

İHD: There are 1,564 ill prisoners

According to a report released by the Human Rights Association (İHD) on April 1, there are 1,564 ill prisoners, 591 in serious condition, in Turkey's prisons as far as the association could document. (HA/SD)