28 women held in Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison said that the life and health of the prisoners are in danger and announced that they have been on a three-day hunger strike as of 27 December.
The Turkish state's persecution of prisoners in prisons is increasing.
In a written statement, 28 prisoners in Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison said that ill prisoners are not treated, and that the prisoners held in solitary cells don’t have any security of life.
The prisoners said that cell searches were carried out in the form of raids and that they were given isolation penalties for trivial reasons. They added that they were openly threatened and reminded of the worrying suspicious deaths in prisons. The 28 prisoners said that they started a 3-day hunger strike as of 27 December in order to protest these violations and abuses.
The statement of the prisoners in Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison said: “Coffins have been coming out of prisons one after another for years. In December, Garibe Gezer, Halil Güneş, Abdülrezak Şuyur, Ilyas Demir, Vedat Erkmen and Salih Tuğrul were killed. These suspicious deaths are worrisome for all political prisoners. These suspicious deaths should be clarified and those responsible should be prosecuted. We commemorate all the prison martyrs with respect, in the person of these 7 martyrs, and declare that we will honour their legacy of resistance and struggle.
Ill prisoners are not treated and those given solitary punishment have no security of life.
Families of martyrs and all political prisoners should not be left alone. If there is no strong reaction to these situations, it is obvious that the executions won’t end.”
Threats from the prison authorities
The statement condemned the general approach of the Bakırköy Women's Closed Prison administration. “Some cell searches are carried out in the form of raids. Communication and visit penalties are given one after the other for trivial reasons. The release dates of dozens of political prisoners are postponed for 3-6 months also due to trivial reasons.
During the raid on 24 December 2021, 1st Director Aysun Güner openly threatened us by raising her hand to her waist as if she had a gun.”
'We are on hunger strike'
The prisoners announced that they have gone on hunger strike since 27 December to protest “these unfair and worrying attitudes. The safety and health of political prisoners are in danger.”
