CHP MP Tanrıkulu: Judiciary will be Accountable for Deaths to Occur in Prisons

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) İstanbul MP and Parliamentary Commission for Human Rights Deputy Chair Sezgin Tanrıkulu has released a written statement about the law draft on criminal enforcement submitted to the Speaker's Office yesterday (March 31).

Tanrıkulu has briefly stated the following:

"While all citizens are urged to 'stay home' with the outbreak of the epidemic, almost 300 thousand arrestees and convicts are still behind bars, threatened by the outbreak, and the law draft on amnesty-sentence reduction have several missing points, which leads to a deep public indignation.

"The case of Mazıdağı Co-Mayor Nalan Özaydın, who was referred from Tarsus Prison to Mardin for having tested positive for Covid-19, is an indication of the fact that coronavirus has infected prisons.

"Presumption of innocence is essential for arrestees and the right to life cannot be disregarded. The law draft that the AKP is preparing to submit to the Parliament is insufficient.

'Fair decisions need to be taken'

"A new draft including the citizens kept behind bars out of political motives must be prepared, it must be changed. While there are journalists, legists, politicians and citizens, against whom there are no verdicts of conviction, as well as arrested women expecting or having babies with them, they must also not be ignored. Fair decisions need to be taken about amnesty and sentence reductions by considering the health of citizens.

"It requires explanation why the precautions taken against the outbreak in the world starting from prisons are not implemented in Turkey. If there are people behind bars who do not know what they are charged with or arrested for years without an indictment, it is on the AKP governments.

'2,300 prisoners lost their lives in 8 years'

"Considering that 2,300 arrestees and convicts in total lost their lives in prisons in 8 years (2008-2016), the current overcrowding in prisons and the deaths to occur in the context of the outbreak need to be prevented!

"Prisons are apparently the places where it is the most difficult to maintain hygiene and isolation and measures are not adequate.

"While coronavirus is threatening the world and quickly spreading in Turkey, the calls for isolation and hygiene cannot be implemented in prisons. The number of people in several prisons is over capacity and mass deaths are likely to occur when the outbreak spreads to prisons.

'Law draft is insufficient'

"If arrestees are not released from prison with judicial control measures that will replace the arrest, the judiciary will be accountable for the deaths to occur in prisons in terms of 'right to life'!

"It is also inacceptable in terms of law and human rights that politicians and activists are demanded to be excluded from this legislation. Life is a right and this law draft is insufficient." (RT/SD)