Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch Prison Commission announced the "Marmara Region Prisons Rights Violations Report" covering October, November and December 2023. The report was announced at a press conference held at the association building in Beyoğlu. IHD Istanbul Branch President Gülseren Yoleri, Prison Commission members and many rights defenders attended the meeting.

 

THOUSAND 596 VIOLATIONS IN THREE MONTHS

 

Meral Nergiz Şahin, member of the IHD Prison Commission, shared that 65 applications were made to their branch in three months from a total of 22 prisons, 8 of which were prisons in the Marmara region. Şahin said: “A total of 65 applications were made to our association, 13 in October, 20 in November and 32 in December. Of the 65 applications made to our association, 15 were made by women, 50 by men, 5 by criminals and 60 by prisoners imprisoned for political reasons. Each application made to our association contains multiple allegations of violation. In addition to the 182 violations we detected through press screening, 1,414 violations were detected in the applications made to our association, 135 in October, 567 in November, and 712 in December, making the total number of violations 1,596."

 

PROBLEMS ARE INCREASING

 

Then, evaluating the report, IHD Istanbul Branch President Gülseren Yoleri said: “One of the clear conclusions we drew from our evaluations regarding the violations; The rights violations experienced in prisons define prisons as a place where organized evil and hostility reign. Since January 2021, when the Administration and Observation Boards were in operation, prisoners' access to fundamental rights, especially their freedom, has been prevented through reports kept under the name of 'good conduct evaluation reports'. In this period, we witness that prisoners are driven to death due to ordinary, simple treatable diseases. The fact that 6 deaths were detected during this period clearly shows us this situation."

 

'THE SOLUTION IS POSSIBLE BY ABOLISHING THE ISOLATION IN IMRALI'

 

Pointing out that the isolation has become permanent, Yoleri said: “We know that prisoners have started a hunger strike in many prisons since November 27, 2023, considering that the absolute isolation that has been maintained in İmralı Island Prison has recently been spread to other prisons and that the solution is possible by eliminating the isolation in İmralı Prison. This rotating hunger strike continues. During this hunger strike process, the common demand of both the families and the human rights, law and health organizations working in this field is to end the hunger strike action by negotiating this process, meeting with the prisoners and taking the necessary steps, without causing any permanent impact on the prisoners."

 

'PERSONS OF TORTURE MUST BE INVESTIGATED'

 

Yoleri said: “These applications have reached our association after overcoming all difficulties. All reported violations show us how enormous the problems experienced by all prisoners are. We would like our findings to be taken into consideration in order to understand the importance of the fight against violations, especially those that need to be continued abroad. We want the elimination of obstacles, especially the rights concerning the freedom of prisoners, the investigation and punishment of the perpetrators of torture and ill-treatment, and the elimination of these practices. The Instution of Forensic Medicine (ATK) report requirement and health barriers must be removed, and positive regulations that meet the needs of female prisoners must be made. We want to prevent any violation of rights against prisoners."