Women imprisoned for political reasons at the Sincan prison complex in Ankara have asked the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) to investigate rights violations in Turkish prisons.

The letter drew attention to the deaths and discrimination against Kurds in Turkey's prison system. The political prisoners in Sincan women's prison wrote: "The deaths in Turkish prisons continue. On 30 August, our friend Şakir Turan died in Erzincan L-type prison. 70-year-old Şakir Turan was a seriously ill prisoner who was not released despite a cancer diagnosis. As a Kurd and a politician, he had to die to prove that he was ill. The State Institute for Forensic Medicine (ATK) found in a report that despite his cancer diagnosis, he had the right to remain in prison. The ATK's decision regarding Şakir Turan was a clear sign that political prisoners are being held because of political decisions."

The letter continued: "According to the human rights association IHD's report for 2022, at least 81 prisoners died in Turkish prisons. These deaths were never investigated and remain suspicious. As a result, every death under government control is murder. Most of the dead were ill prisoners. These prisoners were targeted because of their thoughts and political activities, particularly because they are Kurds."

Is the CPT waiting for sick prisoners to die?

The letter added: "In prisons, discriminatory and racist practices against the Kurdish people are carried out. Even small democratic demands from prisoners are treated and punished in an irrational manner by the prison administration. The CPT would come to the same conclusion even with a limited investigation of prisons in Turkey. While the number of deaths of Kurdish political prisoners in jails is increasing, many convicted members of Ergenekon, Hezbollah and the mafia, thieves, rapists and drug traffickers are being released through a special law. The recently passed enforcement law enables the release of many criminals, but tightens the conditions for Kurdish prisoners. A concrete example of this is the fact that the recently passed law resulted in the postponement of the release of 313 political prisoners."

The women said: "In the prison where we are (Sincan Closed Women's Prison), 14 of our friends are being held under this law even though they should have been released two years ago. Ultimately, 88 ill prisoners could also be directly affected by this law. Is the CPT waiting for ill prisoners to die before doing anything? The truth is that many prisoners who have completed their sentence in prison and have no disciplinary sanctions are not released because they do not regret being Kurdish."

Call to action

The women continued: "There is torture in Turkish prisons and there are enforcement measures that are clearly illegal. Tens of thousands of people are subjected to fascist and racist practices in Turkish prisons. Systematic deaths and murders are the result of these practices. This new law eliminates prisoners' right to hope. While seriously ill prisoners are left to die, their right to family visits is restricted. The CPT should open an investigation because torture and the right to life are violated in prisons in Turkey. The outcome of the report should be made available to the public and Turkey, which is responsible for these violations, should be warned and condemned. Our demand and expectation from you is that you act immediately."