The Civil Society in the Penal System Association (CİSST) has issued a statement regarding the deteriorating health of Abdulalim Kaya, an elderly prisoner with dementia currently held at the Batman Type-M Closed Penal Institution in southeastern Turkey.
According to CİSST, Kaya’s health has significantly worsened due to the summer heat. The organization shared information provided by his family, noting that Kaya, who underwent prostate surgery in October 2020, has a range of serious health issues, including dementia, 80% hearing loss, 50% vision loss, cataracts, kidney failure, and chronic conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Despite multiple medical reports underscoring the seriousness of Kaya's condition, his request for an extension of his sentence deferral was denied.
The Council of Forensic Medicine issued a report stating that Kaya could remain in prison under the conditions of a Type-R facility. In March 2023, he was transferred to Batman Type-M Prison and later to Elazığ Type-R Closed Penal Institution. There, he was kept in solitary confinement for 1.5 months, during which his health deteriorated further due to his inability to care for himself.
'Unable to perform basic personal tasks'
CİSST revealed that Kaya, who is 81 years old according to official records but believed to be 86 by his family, is now unable to walk, perform basic personal tasks, or speak.
CİSST called on the Ministry of Justice to address the worsening conditions in prisons, particularly in light of the extreme heat. The association urged authorities to take immediate steps to ensure the well-being of elderly and seriously ill inmates like Kaya. They also appealed for the release of Kaya to allow him to receive proper medical care outside the prison system.
The latest report by the Human Rights Association (İHD) highlights that as of April 2022, there are 1,517 ill prisoners in Turkey’s prisons, 651 of whom are classified as seriously ill. The plight of Abdulalim Kaya underscores the broader issue of inadequate medical care and harsh conditions faced by vulnerable inmates in Turkey’s overcrowded prison system. (VK)