Istanbul police once again attacked and broke up a rally for sick political prisoners. At least eleven participants were taken into custody, some of them violently, including mothers fighting for the lives of their imprisoned children. The "justice vigil" was called by a relatives' initiative, which has been taking to the streets every week for about nine months to demand the release of seriously ill prisoners and those still imprisoned for lack of remorse despite having completed their sentences. Most of the participants are prisoners who draw attention to the life-threatening conditions in Turkish prisons and demand an end to the violations of their rights. Their actions are regularly broken up by the police.

Today's vigil was to take place in front of the Çağlayan Palace of Justice. Once again, support for the prisoners' cause came from the provincial and district executive committees of the HDP and civil society, including prisoner solidarity activists. The police cordoned off a wide area in front of the court building and surrounded the rally. A "ban on demonstrations" issued by the local authorities was used as justification. HDP MP Musa Piroğlu protested against the action and complained that in fact any protest related to the "injustice behind Turkish bars" was being suppressed by arbitrary bans. "However, inhumane conditions prevail in the prisons of this country. Someone has to address this problem and raise it. That is what we are here for."

An activist of the initiative appealed from the encircled rally: "Is it a crime if we seek justice? We came here to seek justice. And if this is a crime, we will always commit this crime." The police then intervened in the crowd of prisoners' members and fished out Zeynep Calıhan, Kumru Akgül, Emine Arslan, Şahin Kızılkaya, Feryat Sakallı, Sebahattin Halli, Şafi Erol, Evin Genç, Adalet Ünlü, Emrullah Şenyüz and Zemine Gökçe. They are now facing charges of violating an official order.

Musa Piroğlu protested against police violence and detentions. He said that all over the country, people were being beaten and arrested by police in the streets just for speaking out against injustice. "The mothers and relatives of prisoners are constantly detained and prevented from speaking out about the problems in the prisons. Silencing the voices of sick prisoners and beating their mothers is an attack on the conscience of this country. As long as we remain silent and accept the situation, it will get worse."

"If sick prisoners are killed behind bars, if there is this oppression, if people are murdered in front of everyone, we are responsible for it now. The people who remain silent are responsible for it. This call is for the people. As long as we leave these mothers here alone, it will continue. As long as we remain silent about the deaths in the prisons, we will also die in the streets. We call on everyone to raise their voices against this oppression and tyranny and to stand by the sick prisoners."