NEWS CENTER - IHD and non-governmental organizations demanded the release of ill prisoners with the actions and events they held in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir.

 

The Human Rights Association (IHD) and non-governmental organizations demanded the release of the prisoners through actions held in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir. IHD Istanbul Branch Prison Commission held the 619th week action in front of the IHD Istanbul Branch building. In this week's action, attention was drawn to the health condition of prisoner Cengiz Baytar, who is in Tekirdağ No. 2 Type F Prison. Many human rights activists attended the statement, where banners were held: "Treatment is a right, it cannot be prevented" and "Ill prisoner Cengiz Baytar must be released".

 

Hatice Onaran, member of the IHD Prison Commission, who read the press text regarding the statement, stated that Baytar had been in prison for 29 years and that Baytar had many diseases such as facial paralysis, herniated disc, shortness of breath, reflux and osteoporosis during this period. Onaran said that Baytar also had a severe loss of function in one of his arms and eyes.

 

‘HE WAS BEATEN BY JUIDICAL PRISONERS AND GUARDS’

 

Mother of Baytar’s statements as follows: "Even though my son is physically disabled, the convicts next to him are constantly beating him. The reason for the problems in my son's arm and eye is that he was beaten by judicial prisoners and guards in December 2023. Because he was worried about his life safety, my son petitioned several times and stated that if it was not possible to be moved to a single room, he wanted to go to the same ward with political prisoners, but this demand was not accepted by the administration and the Observation Board (IGK). 

 

I AM WORRIED ABOUT MY SON'S LIFE

 

I live in Batman. We wanted my son to be transferred to a prison close to Batman, but they did not accept. Due to my old age and insufficient financial situation, I have been able to visit my son once for 9 years. My son set himself on fire in 2002 to protest the pressure, insults and threats against him, and he still bears the traces of this, but the physical disabilities that developed in prison and the deterioration in his health have made my son unrecognizable. I am concerned about the life of my son, whose treatment has been denied and who is held in inhumane conditions. There is only one year left for the end of his sentence. I want him to receive treatment and get out safely. We can treat and care for him at home, we can cure my son.”

 

Emphasizing that Baytar and all other ill prisoners must be released, Onaran said: "We call on the authorities to take action and the public to sensitivity in order to protect the rights to health and life.” 

The statement ended with the slogans "Ill prisoners must be released" and "Isolation kills, solidarity makes people live", "Treatment is a right, it cannot be prevented".

 

IZMIR

 

IHD Izmir Branch held the 284th press release, which it organizes every two weeks, in front of Konak Eski Sümerbank, to draw attention to the situation of ill prisoners. Mothers for Peace, the family of the ill prisoner Mahmut Badur, democratic mass organizations and political party representatives also supported the statement. 

 

In this week's statement, the condition of seriously ill prisoner Muhlise Karagüzel, who is being treated at Izmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, was reported. While the Kurdish version of the statement was read by IHD Izmir Branch Co-Chair Zilan Gumus, the Turkish version was read by IHD Izmir Branch Manager Gulay Gun Bilici.

 

DISEASES

 

Reminding that Karagüzel had been arrested many times before, Gun said: “Muhlise Karaguzel suffers from heart, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, lumbar and cervical disc hernia. Since the blood sugar level is very high, insulin injections are given four times a day. She suffers from severe pain because her high blood sugar has damaged her eyes and kidneys. Although she needs to be fed in accordance with her diet due to her diseases, this need is not met, and this increases her health problems."

 

CALL FOR EVACUATION

 

Gun drew attention to the ongoing treatment of Muhlise Karaguzel, who had a heart attack three times in prison, and said: "Angiography was performed in the hospital, but the blocked vessels could not be opened. Doctors said that open heart surgery must be performed, but the surgery carries risks due to Guzel's other diseases. This situation she was prevented from informing her family on the grounds that 'the phone was broken'."

 

Gun shared her concern that Karagüzel would have a new heart attack, diabetic coma or asthma attack at any moment, and asked for her release for treatment.

 

ANKARA

 

In Ankara, the Freedom for Ill Prisoners Initiative drew attention to the situation of ill prisoner Hisyar Ozer in the 491st week of its action.

 

 The action held in front of the Human Rights Association (IHD) Ankara Branch building. The statement was read by IHD Central Executive Board (MYK) Member Nuray Cevirmen.

 

Stating that the prisoners are struggling to survive due to the harsh conditions in prisons, Cevirmen shared the information that, as far as IHD could determine, there are 1,517 ill prisoners in prisons, 651 of whom are seriously ill.

 

'HE ENTERED PRISON AT A CHILD AGE'

 

Cevirmen stated that 24-year-old ill prisoner Hisyar Özer, held in Wan High Security Closed Prison, was arrested in 2016 when he was a child, and stated that Ozer had asthma before entering the prison and his disease continues. Cevirmen said, “After he was put in prison, he started suffering from hemorrhoids and had surgery due to this disease. Later, he suffered from appendicitis and had surgery. Again, while in prison, intestinal disorders began and rapid weight loss occurred. He was diagnosed with Chron's disease. Cevirmen added that Chron's disease, which is an inflammatory disease generally seen around the small intestine and the junction of the small intestine with the large intestine, cannot be fully treated and often requires surgical intervention.

 

Underlining that the nutritional and inadequate health conditions in prison further aggravated Ozer's illness, Cevirmen said: "Although Saturday, December 27, was a telephone day, Ozer did not call his family, and his family called the prison on Sunday and asked about his condition. They told them to call again on Monday, and when they called again on Monday, they were informed that he had been hospitalized and was there. Three holes were opened in his abdomen and bags were attached. Upon the application of his family, an indefinite companion permit was granted by the Prosecutor's Office on January 30, 2023, and care support is provided by his family.”

 

HE LOST 26 KILOS IN THREE MONTHS

 

Emphasizing that Ozer dropped from 86 kilos to 60 kilos in just 3-4 months due to health problems and that he needs constant care, Cevirmen said: “In addition, due to this disease, he needs to have a very special diet and be under constant doctor's supervision. If he goes back to prison, his situation will get worse due to the conditions there. For this reason, we demand that Hisyar Özer be released and continue his treatment with his family."