The Association of Lawyers for Freedom (OHD) Ankara Branch Prisons Commission applied to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Health regarding the rights violations experienced by prisoners in prisons in the Central Anatolia region during hospital transfers.

 

In the application made to the ministries in question, it was demanded that the practices that violate the right to health be stopped.

 

THEY DO NOT GO TO THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF ORAL SEARCH

 

In the application made to the Ministry of Internal Affairs on the subject, it was noted that ill prisoners in prisons did not go to the hospital due to the imposition of oral searches and the following statements were made: "The application of oral searches is a practice that disregards human dignity and is a form of torture in itself. Imposing this practice on prisoners not only damages the dignity of the person, but also causes pain and makes the person feel humiliated. There is a strong connection between the concepts of prohibition of degrading treatment and respect for human dignity. Treatment; It can be described as degrading treatment and falls within the scope of the prohibition of torture when it is to the extent of humiliating the individual, diminishing its dignity, not respecting human dignity, damaging human dignity, or arousing feelings of fear, pain or inferiority that may break the moral and physical resistance of the individual.

 

CAUSE OF A VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT TO LIFE

 

During the meetings, it was revealed that oral searches are a form of torture and are also a major obstacle to prisoners' access to their right to health. Prisoners interviewed stated that they had to give up their right to be transferred to hospital and receive treatment in order to avoid being subjected to oral searches. This situation has reached a level that may cause a violation of the right to life, especially for seriously ill prisoners.”

 

HANDCUFFED EXAMINATION CAUSES A VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT TO HEALTH

 

In the application made to the Ministry of Health, it was stated that the handcuffed examination of detainees and convicts caused a violation of the right to health. It was emphasized that the obstacles to the right to health must be removed and the following statements were made: "Considering that, as the administration, have a responsibility to ensure the right to health of convicts and detainees, it should not allow hospitals, medical personnel and physicians to allow law enforcement officers to be present in the examination room during the examination of convicts and detainees and to allow handcuffed examination. It is evaluated that this necessity must be reminded together with legal and ethical obligations. In this regard, we expect that necessary action will be taken to put an end to these practices that violate the right to health, and we present it to information."