ANKARA - MA Editor-in-Chief Diren Yurtsever stated that the cameras installed in the courtyard see inside of the wards, and that their objection to this was responded as, "No one is watching you."

 

MA Editor-in-Chief Diren Yurtsever, who was arrested on October 29 along with the Mezopotamya Agency (MA) and JINNEWS reporters as part of the Ankara-based investigation, reported on the violations of rights in Sincan Women's Closed Prison, where she has been held since October 29. Stating that there was a camera that see the inside of the ward, said that their objections are ignored. Yurtsever said, “There is a camera that sees inside my room. I wrote a petition and appealed. Their response to me was 'there is a camera, but no one is watching you'. I told them that the camera can see inside my ward and it violated my personal space as well as limiting my range of movement."

 

'THESE CAMERAS ARE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE CHILDREN'

 

Stating that the prison administration's second objection was that the camera was to protect children", Yurtsever said, "They said that I could cover the window myself if I wanted to. To put something in front of that window, I have to use all my creativity. The justification that they are'protecting' the children they did not protect outside, at the expense of watching our wards with cameras, is not very sincere. How to protect those children who shouldn't be here anyway! Were they able to protect those children outside in cities full of surveillence cameras?"

 

ALL VISITORS REJECTED WITH COPY PASTE RESPONSES

 

Yurtsever stated that all their friends and colleagues were rejected in the applications they made within the scope of the visitor rights, and said, “All of our visitors are being rejected. Two of my friends were rejected so far, as well as two friends of Ceylan Şahinli and friends of Öznur Değer, Berivan Altan and there are still no answers regarding the visitors of Habibe Eren. One of our friends from Ankara and one from Diyarbakır were rejected on same grounds however the assessment of our friend in Diyarbakır should have been done by Diyarbakır Gendermerie Command. It was a copy pasted document."

 

COMMUNICATION BANNED IN PRISON

 

Stating that they are prevented from communicating with other prisoners and with each other, Yurtsever said when they go to the yard and walk side by side with someone, the guards warn them not to speak and tell us that walking is banned. Communication is altogether banned in Sincan Women's Closed Prison."