With a march in Kadıköy district of Istanbul, relatives of prisoners were set to end their Justice Vigil on Sunday. But the police carried out the same ritual they have been doing week after week for months to prevent the public from being informed about the situation in the country's prisons. Since last March, the initiative has been taking to the streets of Istanbul to make their cause visible and heard: The release of seriously ill prisoners and those who continue to be imprisoned because they have not repented despite completing their sentences. But almost every rally by the group, which is mainly made up of mothers fighting for the lives of their imprisoned children, has been violently suppressed since the peaceful action began.

NO TO ISOLATION

"Freedom for all sick prisoners and prisoners who have not been released despite having served their prison sentence - lift isolation" was the motto of the march on the occasion of the final justice vigil, which was called for by organisations of prisoner solidarity, the alliance United Forces of Struggle (BMG) and the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in addition to the relatives' initiative. Thematically, the calls and mobilisation for these demonstrations were also about the rejection of solitary confinement on the Turkish prison island of Imrali, which affects Abdullah Öcalan and his three fellow prisoners Ömer Hayri Konar, Hamili Yıldırım and Veysi Aktaş, as well as the demand for contact between the Imrali prisoners and their outside world.

VIOLENCE AGAINST MEDIA WORKERS

The police cordoned off the centre of Kadıköy in the early morning. Especially in the side streets around the starting points of the march, anti-riot units of the police patrolled, armoured vehicles and transport vehicles were brought into position at numerous points. The first attack on demonstrators occurred at the terminus of the Söğütlüçeşme rapid transit line. The police stormed into the crowd without warning and made the first arrests. Several journalists, who had previously been pursued by plainclothes officers, were forcibly pushed out of the square. The number of people detained here is still unclear.

"WE WANT THEM ALIVE"

Meanwhile, a larger crowd of several hundred people marched on Kurbağalıdere Street, shouting slogans such as "Long live the resistance in the jails", "Long Live Leader Öcalan", "Law, Justice" and "No to isolation". Activist Kumri Akgül, sister of Erdal Özel, a prisoner isolated in a solitary cell in Tekirdağ, spoke some moving words: "Stop death in prisons! We want our loved ones alive and we can no longer bear to see them come out of the dungeons of this country in a coffin at best. We want justice - everywhere."

KICKS AGAINST PEACE MOTHERS

The police cordoned off the demonstration during Akgül's speech and formed a threatening chain so that no more people could enter the area. As the crowd around the kettle grew faster and faster, police stormed into the crowd. It was mainly prisoners and members of the Peace Mothers' Assembly who were attacked. Officers tore off the white headscarves of some of them - their distinctive sign and symbol of motherhood and mourning - and gave them potentially life-threatening kicks while they were still on the ground. Dozens of people were detained and tied with their hands behind their backs before being dragged across the floor and taken to the prisoner transport van. Prisoner Zeynep Calıhan was taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg.

FERHAT ENCÜ PUNCHED IN THE FACE

The police caused a further escalation when members of the HDP protested against the violent crackdown. HDP Istanbul co-chair Ferhat Encü was punched in the face on camera and MP Hasan Özgüneş was subjected to insults. Mehmet Zeki Kaya, cameraman of the opposition channel Artı TV, who captured the scenes, was detained and correspondent Umut Taştan was beaten up by the police.

DOZENS DETAINED

In the meantime, the police only succeeded in breaking up the still ongoing demonstration of the prisoners' members after several attempts. According to the latest information, around 50 people have been taken into police custody, not all of whom are known by name.