Fatma Tokmak, who has been incarcerated at İstanbul's the Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison since 2010, has been placed in solitary confinement following the seizure of various materials during a search of her cell.
The items, which included two notebooks, were confiscated after an inspection on Jan 26, in her ward. Authorities claimed the materials contained propaganda of a “terrorist organization.”
Tokmak and her cellmates denied the allegations, asserting that no investigation was conducted to determine who owned the seized items, and that they were collectively blamed for the content.
Solitary confinement
Following a disciplinary investigation, Tokmak was sentenced to 11 days in solitary confinement. She contested the punishment, arguing that the materials did not belong to her, but her appeal was rejected by the prison court.
Tokmak further claimed that the solitary confinement order violated legal procedures, accusing the court of procedural errors. She pointed out that the confiscated materials had previously been examined and returned by prison authorities, which she argued rendered the punishment unjust. Despite her objections, the disciplinary ruling was upheld, and her solitary confinement began on Oct 1.
Health concerns
Tokmak, who suffers from severe heart disease, has been held in a cell with limited facilities, said Eren Keskin, co-chair of the Human Rights Association (İHD).
Keskin expressed concerns about her health, highlighting that she requires weekly blood transfusions. Keskin condemned the conditions of Tokmak’s confinement, stating, “Fatma is being held in a cell where she cannot breathe properly. Despite her life-threatening condition, she remains in solitary confinement.”
Keskin also criticized the state's treatment of political prisoners, remarking, “These confiscations are part of an effort to suppress the thoughts and expressions of people the state has already imprisoned. It’s irrational that the state tries to control the emotions and ideas of those already behind bars.”
Torture and false accusation
Fatma Tokmak was arrested in 1996 in İstanbul along with her young son, Azat, on charges related to a crime she did not commit. Both Tokmak and her son were reportedly tortured during their detention. Despite not being able to provide a statement in Kurdish, her native language, she was sentenced to life in prison without a proper defense.
In 2006, Tokmak was temporarily released due to her deteriorating health, having developed a serious heart condition while in prison. She supported herself by working as a caregiver for the elderly and sick, but her life sentence was reinstated by the Supreme Court, leading to her re-imprisonment in 2010.
Despite public appeals from her son and efforts by human rights defenders, Tokmak remains behind bars. In 2011, the Forensic Medicine Institute ruled that she could stay in prison, despite her medical condition. However, a report from the Turkish Human Rights Foundation’s İstanbul branch stated the opposite, declaring that Tokmak was unfit for incarceration. Nonetheless, the campaign for her release has so far been unsuccessful. (EMK/VK)