Transgender Inmate Buse on Hunger Strike: ‘I Want to Break Free from Prison in My Body’
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Transgender inmate Buse, who has not been allowed to undergo gender transition surgery despite the related court ruling and medical report, has been on hunger strike for 31 days.
The 40-year-old Buse has been in prison for 20 years and will be released 17 years later. As she cannot finalize her gender transition process, she cannot move to the women's prison. Buse has been staying in the same ward at a men's prison with another transgender inmate, Diren Coşkun.
Buse's friends came together at the Human Rights Association (İHD) and made a statement for the press today (July 5). In the statement, a call was made to the Ministry of Justice to "stop its arbitrary treatment and provide the necessary administrative procedures for gender transition surgery of Buse as part of her right to health, which is a fundamental human right."
During the meeting, it was also emphasized that since Buse has been serving a life sentence, she has no other choice than undergoing the surgery while in prison. The attorney of Buse, Eren Keskin also said, "She once told me, 'I want to break free from the prison in my body.' She wanted me to give priority not to her case file, but to her gender transition process."
There are court decisions and medical reports
Buse, who has been held at the Tekirdağ Type F Closed Prison, fulfilled all legal procedures required for gender transition surgery while in prison. Afterwards, she applied to the Tekirdağ Civil Court of First Instance to get a permission for the surgery.
In the medical report dated July 21, 2017 and issued by the 6th Specialized Board of the Forensic Medicine Institute, it was stated, "Considering that the person in question is of a transsexual disposition, a gender transition is suitable in terms of her mental health." The Court granted permission for the gender transition surgery based on this report.
Ministry of Justice: Surgery does not have urgency
As stated by Buse's friends and attorney Eren Keskin, the General Directorate of Prisons and Detention Houses of the Ministry of Justice ruled that the related report is inadequate.
The Ministry did not allow Buse to be referred to hospital for surgery on the ground that "the surgery does not have vital importance or urgency."
"The Ministry is responsible for any damages on Buse"
Buse previously went on a hunger strike twice, for 30 and 60 days.
In their statement for the press, Buse's friends said, "The Ministry of Justice, which denied Buse her right to health despite the related court decision, will be responsible for any temporary or permanent psychological and physical damages that might arise on Buse." (ÇT/SD)