The Freedom for Ill Prisoners Initiative, formed to draw attention to the condition of ill prisoners, gathered in front of the Ankara Branch building of the Human Rights Association (İHD) in the 221th week of its action.

Speaking on behalf of the Initiative, IHD member Nuray Çevirmen pointed out the situation of Mahmut Aktaş in Kırıklar F Type Prison and Ibrahim Akbaba in Edirne F-Type Prison.



According to Çevirmen, Mahmut Aktaş, held in Kırıklar F-Type Prison, has been suffering problems linked to medication. "Aktaş has served 26 years of prisons at various moments in his life. He is suffering from a severe heart disease and also from hypertension. According to his parents' statement, he is obliged to use tension and anti-depression drugs. These problems have been exposed in his reports. He has not been given drugs for a long time in prison, and his family states that when they sent some medicines these were not delivered to him”.

Ibrahim Akbaba, 72, is in Edirne F-Type Prison. He is seriously ill, said Çevirmen, adding: "Akbaba, is disabled at 96 percent and had one leg amputated from the knee and is forced to use prosthesis”.

Çevirmen added that Akbaba suffered from several other problems, yet “he is not recovered in hospital and his daily needs are met from other inmates”.