85-year-old Abdulalim Kaya, a 93 percent disabled and seriously ill prisoner, is still being held in prison. His son, Ismail Kaya, said: “My father's situation is very critical. We asked for his release. He will die."

Abdulalim Kaya, held in Batman M Type Closed Prison, was born in 1943. Kaya was sentenced to 5 years in prison for a press conference he attended in 2008. In 2011, the sentence was upheld. He underwent surgery to the prostate in Bursa in October 2021, and was taken into custody just after the surgery, without even having his stitches removed. He was sent to Bursa H Type Closed Prison. He was kept in isolation for 60 days, despite being unwell. As a result of the applications by his lawyers, his sentence was postponed for 6 months on 4 January 2022. He returned to Siirt to continue his treatment there.

Kaya, who was reported as 91 percent disabled in 2021, has to live with one kidney. Kaya, who was also diagnosed with dementia and underwent an angiogram for his heart about a year ago, was given a 93 percent disability report by Siirt Training and Research Hospital on 12 October 2022. However, despite his serious illness, Abdulalim Kaya was arrested again on 31 March 2023 and sent to Batman M Type Closed Prison. Due to his illnesses, he was taken to Elazığ R Type, but he was kept in a single cell there for 18 months. His condition worsened, and his family applied for him to be transferred back to Batman. He was brought to Batman M Type about 5 months ago, yet, the Forensic Medicine Institute (ATK) issued a report saying that "he may remain in prison" on 31 August 2023.

The prison administration then issued papers for his release within the framework of the Presidential Circular affecting prisoners of old age.

Abdulalim could not recognize his children

Ismail Kaya, Abdulalim’s son, said they were shocked when they saw their father. Kaya told ANF: "My father was brought to the visit on a wheelchair thanks to his cellmates. He was in Batman Prison, bedridden, for a year and a half. When my father arrived, he could not recognize us. My father is going through very difficult times. He will die. We, as a family and through our lawyers, submitted a petition to the Batman Public Prosecutor's Office to have him release as stated by the new law approved. However, we were not given any answer. We do not want him to die in prison. We call on the government to release ill and elderly prisoners as soon as possible.”