HDP deputy Zülehya Gülum warns against the spread of the coronavirus in Turkish prisons and demands immediate action, saying that the state would be responsible for any deaths in the contrary case.
The wards in Turkish prisons are completely overcrowded and the prisoners are not even given the means for the most basic hygienic precautions against the coronavirus. Züleyha Gülüm, a deputy of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), has spoken to ANF about this situation.
Gülüm stated that warnings about the pandemic are not being seriously addressed by the prison authorities and that there is a risk of a large number of deaths. She calls for the release of the prisoners and criticises the reform of the penal code, from which political prisoners are excluded, describing the bill as an "enemy law". According to her, due to this regulation, especially the seriously ill prisoners are exposed to a particularly high risk, but are nevertheless not released. In the meantime, the virus has spread to all Turkish prisons.
Real figures are not presented
The HDP deputy points out that the claim by the Ministry of Justice that the pandemic only occurred in open prison is not true and that reports of many cases have come from prisons. However, these cases are concealed in order to give legitimacy to the new enforcement law, she said.
“The Ministry of Justice was forced to announce about 120 Coronavirus cases among the prisoners, but this number is far understated. The situation in Silivri prison is particularly critical. According to official sources, 42 prisoners tested positive there. The situation in other prisons is no better: There is a great risk of infection in the prisons. Because there is no possibility to keep a distance. We are talking about 30 to 40 prisoners in a ward. If one person gets sick, the whole ward is infected."
Immediate action needed
According to Gülüm, the immune system of people in prison is also much more unstable than that of free people. Almost all prisoners have developed chronic diseases over the years due to the poor prison conditions. The HDP member of parliament also reminds of seriously ill prisoners like Sabri Kaya who is not released despite his critical condition. She condemns the delay of a decision by the constitutional court.
Gülüm demands immediate action, saying that the Constitutional Court must end injustice through the enforcement law and ensure equality in the prisons. If this does not happen, the state will be responsible for all possible deaths, she warns.
