Despite the outbreak of coronavirus, political prisoners in Turkey are abandoned to themselves as little or no measures has been taken in jails.

Indeed, no measures were taken other than isolation in Silivri Prison No. 5, where one of the two prisoners tested for suspicion of coronavirus, Zafer Sağlam (who tested negative) was kept for 11 days, as his father, Emirhan Sağlam told ANF.

Emirhan Sağlam spoke on the phone with his son of 13 April. He told ANF that no precautions have been taken in prison since the outbreak started. "In a phone conversation with my son before he was taken to an isolation cell, he told me there was a shortage of cleaning materials and lack of water in prison. He is still in isolation. Another friend, called Hamza, proved positive to coronavirus and he was taken to an isolation cell."

Emirhan Sağlam said he was was worried for his son and all political prisoners. "We always hoped for an egalitarian law of execution, but this has not happened even in an epidemic condition. The coronavirus does not care about political prisoners: it affects the rich as well as the poor. Our children were left alone in this epidemic. We are worried not only for our son, but for all people in prison."

Water problems in prison

The brother of Zafer Sağlam, Bilge Sağlam, confirmed that Zafer had told them about the problems with cleaning materials and water. He said his brother complained that they could not even wash their dishes in the ward because of the water cuts. "Now he is in an isolation cell and we don't know in what condition he is kept in. We are very worried. I can't even imaging the anguish of the prisoners. We get all nervous everytime one of us coughs at home. There is no way they would be able to keep any social distance among them, as prisons are so crowded."