ŞIRNAK- Nuri Arı, Ramazan Özyiğit and Abdullah Oflas, who were arrested together 30 years ago in Hezex, stated that the prison is a system built to take over the soul of the person and said: "Resistance in prison is the only thing that brings us closer to freedom."

 

Soldiers who carried out an operation in the village of Xirabêşeref in the Hezex (İdil) district of Şirnex in 1993 were arrested after Ahmet Zenger, Osman Kapan, Süleyman Sungur, Ramazan Özalp, Nuri Arı, Abdullah Oflas and Ramazan Özyiğit were taken into custody after house searches. The aggravated life imprisonment sentence given to 7 people for "destroying the unity and integrity of the state" was later overturned and turned into separate 30-year (life sentence) sentences.

 

One of the prisoners, Ramazan Özal, who was ill in Süleyman Sungur prison, died 3 months after he was released in 2014. The sentence of ill prisoner Ahmet Zenger (63), held in Giresun Espiye Type L Closed Prison, was extended for another 6 months because he did not accept the imposition of remorse by the Administration and Observation Board, one week before his release in February. Osman Kapa, who is detained in Bolu Prison, is expected to be released in April as he is held despite serving his sentence.

 

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Prisoners Nuri Arı and Abdullah Oflas were released from İzmir Şakran Type T Prison on February 12, and Ramazan Özyiğit from Van High Security Prison on February 6. Arı, Oflas and Özyiğit told our agency about the violations of rights in prison and the freedom that has come after 30 years.

 

AFTER 30 YEARS FROM PRISON

 

Nuri Arı, who was released at the age of 49 from the prison he entered at the age of 19, said: "I am in a great struggle against the deepening isolation in prisons. We were arrested for saying 'We are Kurds, we have an identity,' and we were in prison for 30 years. I spent 30 years in prisons in Harput, Giresun, Siirt and most recently in Izmir. The conditions and conditions of the prisons are clear. When we compare the past and present, the conditions of the prisons are much better. It is difficult. The pressures have increased. As a result of these pressures and attacks, many of our friends became martyrs because they were not treated. The problems in prisons have reached the highest level during the pandemic process. Health is the leading issue. Ill prisoners are not treated. The pandemic is over, but isolation in prisons has increased. No effort at the treatment point. There is an effort to take prisoners to the infirmary, then take it to the ward. For example, before, every ward went to take air and everyone could see each other, but this was removed later. This cut the relationship between the prisoners."

 

PRISONS AND RESISTANCE

 

Stating that another problem is the disciplinary punishments given for various reasons, Arı said: “The punishment of the prisoners who receive disciplinary punishment increases even more. According to the newly enacted law, convicts who receive disciplinary punishment are not released. The sentence increases from 6 months to a year. Thus, an intense psychological pressure is created. But prisons have been struggling since history. Their resistance has always existed and continues under all conditions and conditions. Despite all these obstacles and difficulties, the imprisoned friends do not compromise their identity and will. The prisoners never compromised their stance. They claimed their identity and their will; however, the situation outside affects the prisons the most. There are attacks in prisons, but there is also resistance against it, and resistance is the only thing that brings freedom closer.”

 

HOPE SURVIVES PRISONERS

 

Stating that the only thing that makes the prisoners strong is the hope of freedom, Arı said: "30 years is a very long time, but the important thing is that people do not lose hope. What strengthened and kept us alive during this 30-year period was the hope that we would be free one day. There were many obstacles in front of us, but one day we realized that 30 Our year is over and gone. What we feel cannot be explained in words. 30 years is half of a person's life. When I came out, I had a different feeling, as if I was born again, life has changed as a whole. This feeling is like discovering a new world. Such a feeling arises in people. Everything is new and first. The most beautiful thing is to return to our counrty again. When a person sets foot on his land, he sees the traces of the past and is revived. This teaches people to live again. I am happy to return to my country, but I have not learned to live outside yet."