Violations of human rights in prisons are increasing.

A Prisoner Lost His Life in Tekirdağ

Hüseyin Polat, who suffered from gastric bleeding in Tekirdağ F Type Prison, lost his life because there was no place in hospital. Polat was sentenced to life imprisonment. He had been in prison for 25 years. Polat, 52, suffered from gastric bleeding in Tekirdağ F-Type Closed Prison on 25 January. He was taken to Tekirdağ State Hospital, but he was not hospitalized as "there was no place". Polat asked to be transferred to other hospitals but instead was kept in a different ward of the same hospital where he lost his life after losing a lot of blood. His brother Sinan Polat said: "As he was not kept in the hopsital immediately, he was vomiting too much blood. He passed away because of late intervention."

Sinan Polat said that he wants to find out what was done to his brother. "We applied to the Human Rights Association (IHD) on the subject. We will not let go."

Sincan Women's Closed Prison

Pressure and torture against political prisoners continues in Turkish prisons. The prisoners staying at the Ankara-Sincan Women's Closed Prison told their families that the prison administration imposed arbitrary practices on them.

The prisoners said that letters in Kurdish they wrote were not sent outside. The prisoners also said their right to make phone calls was violated. They have the right to call 3 numbers but if the first number does not answer, they are denied the right to call the other two. 

Newspapers and magazines are not given to prisoners who told their families: "Yeni Yaşam newspaper is not given to us. Books are given to us after 7-8 months. The wards are raided very frequently."

Harassment and abuse have also been reported by visitors.

Türkoğlu Prison

The prisoners in Tarsus and Türkoğlu said that they are subject to stay in a single row during visits with their families.

Serhat Yıldırım (23), who is in Closed Type Prison in Türkoğlu No. 1, and Erkan Taşkan, who is in Mersin Tarsus No. 1 T Type Closed Prison, told their families about the violations of rights prisoners are subjected to.

Indicating that the violations of rights increased after the hunger strike actions against the isolation on Kurdish People's Leader Abdullah Öcalan, the prisoners added that they faced arbitrary practices. According to prisoners, when the guards enter the ward in Türkoğlu prison, they want the prisoners to line up. When the prisoners are removed from their wards, they are imposed to walk in one row and rub their arms against the corridor walls.

Ill prisoners in Tarsus not attended

It is stated that the prisoners who got sick in Tarsus prison were not taken to the infirmary and have problems with heating and hot water. It is also noted that incredibly high prices are applied to all products in the prison canteen where the prisoners shop to meet their needs. 

Isolation in Konya

Hasan Muhammed Ibiş, a prisoner in Konya Ereğli T Type Closed Prison, was exposed to a standing count in an isolation cell. Ibrahim Sütçü, who was already in a single cell, was also given an isolation punishment. Sütçü was deported to Konya on 26 September 2019 after staying in Osmaniye prison for four years. He has been in isolation for the past four months. His brother Sevim Sütçü said: "Even though Ibrahim is kept in a single cell, he is punished with isolation. My brother was also prevented any communication, and we have not received any news from him for two weeks."

According to the report prepared by the Ankara Branch of the Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD) after a visit to Konya Ereğli Prison, prisoner Hasan Muhammed Ibiş was exposed to rights violations. Ibiş was transferred to Konya Ereğli Prison on 26 December 2019, and was heavily beaten as he refused to be strip searched.