Son of seriously ill prisoner Mehmet Emin Özkan released from jail

The son of seriously ill prisoner Mehmet Emin Özkan, who has been in jail with him for 5 years, has been released. Özkan's first words were "My father should be released".

Ahmet Özkan, the son of seriously ill prisoner Mehmet Emin Özkan (83), was in Diyarbakır High Security Prison No. 1 together with his father for 5 years. He was released after 12 years and 8 months. Özkan, who was detained in Amed in 2011, was arrested on the charge of "being a member of a terrorist organization" and was sentenced to 13 years and 8 months in prison. Özkan, whose sentence was increased by 3 years and 2 months on the grounds of breaking the camera in the ward while he was imprisoned in İskenderun F Type Closed Prison, was released from prison on Thursday after serving a sentence of 16 years and 10 months.

Özkan family, lawyers from the Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD) Amed Branch, and members of the Association for Assistance and Solidarity with Detainees and Convict Families (TUHAY-DER) gathered in front of the prison gate waiting for Özkan to be released. Özkan, who was eventually released in the evening, was greeted with applause and flowers.

Özkan said: "My father is seriously ill. He needs to be released from prison. However, there is a hostile approach that has prevented him from being released so far. My father is not the only ill prisoner. We need to stand up for all ill prisoners."