The release of Mehmet Sait Yıldırım, a 73-year-old seriously ill prisoner who has been incarcerated for 30 years, has been postponed for the third time.
The administration of the İzmir Kırıklar No. 1 F-Type High-Security Closed Prison delayed his release by an additional nine months, citing claims that "was not of good conduct,” and “showed no remorse.”
Yıldırım, who has been behind bars for 31 years, was initially expected to be released on Feb 27. However, the board had already postponed the release once to Dec 27. Just days before that date, the board made a new decision, pushing the release further to Aug 25, 2026. An appeal filed by his lawyers was rejected.
Convicted of membership in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Yıldırım has spent the past eight years in solitary confinement.
Speaking to Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Yıldırım’s brother Selim Yıldırım denounced the decision, claiming that “hostile law against Kurds continues to be enforced.” He added that the state's approach to seriously ill inmates undermines public trust in the process and called for the immediate release of all sick prisoners.
“My brother completed his 30th year. He was supposed to be released on Feb 27, but they blocked it on the grounds that he ‘did not express remorse’ and had ‘organizational’ conversations with his family. They claim he made such remarks during weekly phone calls. He has been held in solitary confinement for the past eight years. His latest release was denied again because he quoted Seyid Rıza during a conversation with his brother, which they claimed was an effort to ‘channel his family toward the organization.’”
“The most striking reason is the expectation of remorse. These questions are not legal when directed at someone who has spent 30 years in the freedom movement. What they mean is that the rule of law no longer applies. They continue to implement a hostile legal system against Kurds.”
Yıldırım further said that the state "will hopefully act in accordance with the spirit of the peace process," referring to the ongoing efforts addressing the Kurdish question. (AB/VK)
