BATMAN – The release of Şükrü Baytar, whose sentence has already expired, has been postponed for a third time after he refused to accept the imposed remorse. His sister, Melahat Sarhan, criticized the demand, asking, “What has he done that he should feel remorse?”

 

Şükrü Baytar, who had previously been detained and released twice, was re-arrested after a six-year, three-month prison sentence for “terrorist organization membership” was upheld on November 27, 2019. Currently held at Maraş Türkoğlu No. 2 L-Type Closed Prison, Baytar’s release was deferred for a third time on October 22 by the Administrative and Observation Board for refusing to accept the imposed remorse.

 

Following Kurdish leader Abdullah Öcalan’s Call for Peace and a Democratic Society on February 27, Baytar’s sister, Melahat Sarhan, a member of the Batman Peace Mothers Assembly, said the state had yet to take any meaningful steps in response. “Despite all the steps taken by Serok Apo (Abdullah Öcalan), the state has not made a single move. We were expecting a positive response, at least the release of ill and time-served prisoners, but that hasn’t happened,” she said.

 

“Blood cannot wash away blood. Every war ends with peace,” Melahat Sarhan said, emphasizing their call for peace. “Serok Apo dissolved the PKK and had the weapons destroyed, yet the state still did not act. Finally, he withdrew all forces from Turkey, but again the state failed to respond. They have neither released Serok Apo nor the political prisoners.”

 

Noting that her brother has already served his full sentence but was given an additional three months for the third time, She said: “They are imposing remorse on him. What has he done that he should repent? He has already served his time.”

 

Melahat Sarhan added that the state’s failure to take any tangible steps so far has deepened public doubts about the peace process. “They should know that, whatever happens, peace will come to these lands. If the state is sincere about this process, it should release the ill and political prisoners. Bodies are still coming out of prisons. If they were sincere, that would not be happening,” she said.

 

WHO IS ŞÜKRÜ BAYTAR?

 

Şükrü Baytar was elected co-chair of the Mezopotamya Association for Solidarity with Families of the Disappeared (MEYA-DER) in Batman on June 8, 2014. He ran as the fifth parliamentary candidate for the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Batman during the June 24, 2018 general elections. On November 27, 2019, he was sentenced to six years and three months in prison on charges of “terrorist organization membership” and was first transferred to Edirne F-Type Prison.

 

Baytar was later moved to Maraş Türkoğlu No. 2 Type L Prison, then to Kırıkkale F-Type Prison following the February 6 earthquakes, and eventually back to Maraş Türkoğlu No. 2 L-Type Prison. His release continues to be postponed for the third time due to his refusal to accept the imposed remorse.

 

 MA / Ozan Bayindir