‘Urgent action’ campaign calling for investigation into torture in prison

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Amnesty International has launched an "urgent action" campaign regarding the allegations of torture and ill treatment in Diyarbakır Prison.

Sharing information about the allegations, the organization has said, "On 1 December, Mehmet Sıddık Meşe was allegedly subjected to a severe beating by guards in a prison in the Turkish city of Diyarbakır."

Indicating that the prisoner was "denied access to urgent medical care and to examination by medical forensic staff," Amnesty International has further noted that "on December 9, the prosecutor decided not to prosecute the suspected perpetrators based on the prison doctor's report."

Against this background, the statement of the organization has underlined that "Mehmet Sıddık Meşe requires access to adequate medical care and a prompt, independent and impartial investigation into the allegations of torture and other ill-treatment must be launched."

'Only treatment was ice, cold water'

As part of its "urgent action" campaign calling for an investigation into the allegations of torture and ill treatment and subsequent non-prosecution, Amnesty International has addressed an open letter to Turkey's Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül, calling on people to follow suit.

Sharing details about the issue, the letter has briefly read:

"I am writing to you regarding the serious allegations of torture and other ill-treatment that Mehmet Sıddık Meşe was subjected to on December 2020.

"Meşe is currently held on remand in Diyarbakir T Type prison No. 3 on fraud charges. According to the testimony he provided to his lawyer, in the morning of 1 December, he was taken from the prison dormitory by four prison guards into a separate area dubbed the 'Aquarium' where he was beaten with wooden batons under his feet (bastinado – falaka) as well as all over his face and body by at least four guards for about 40 minutes.

"Mehmet Sıddık Meşe's lawyer saw him on 2 December and could verify that his face was completely bruised and swollen, both his eyes were bloodshot and his feet were entirely bruised.

"Mehmet Sıddık Meşe complained about dizziness and pain on his feet as well as his back. He was not taken into a hospital for an independent forensic medical examination and the prison doctor's examination report concluded that he had not been beaten.

"For at least seven days, he was taken to the prison infirmary where the only treatment applied was ice and cold water.

'Ensure his urgent access to medical care'

 "An investigation following a criminal complaint by his lawyer was eventually launched on 3 December. The prosecutor responsible for prisons interviewed Mehmet Sıddık Meşe on 8 December via video conference, but in the absence of his lawyer despite the request of the lawyer to be present.

"According to his lawyer, the camera footage of the prison in the investigation file was incomplete, only displaying a two-minute period. The prison prosecutor refused to process the request made as part of their criminal complaint to take Meşe to a hospital for examination in line with the Istanbul Protocol - which sets out guidelines for effective legal and medical investigations into allegations of torture and other ill-treatment.

"Based on the statements of the guards suspected of being the perpetrators and the prison doctor's report indicating that there was no physical evidence of bodily injuries, the prison prosecutor made a decision not to prosecute on 9 December on the grounds that there was lack of evidence.

"In the light of the above, I call on you to ensure that:

- Mehmet Sıddık Meşe has urgent access to adequate medical care and is examined by independent forensic medical staff;

- A new prompt, independent and impartial investigation into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment is launched and all those responsible are brought to justice in fair trials." (AS/SD)

* You can join the campaign here