Violations of rights in Turkish prisons continue to increase. Political prisoners are frequently subjected to torture and arbitrary practices. Treatment of sick prisoners has turned into torture.

In a letter describing the violations of rights in Silivri Prison No. 9, political prisoner Ruken Kılıç revealed that academic Nuriye Gülmen was handcuffed to the bed by the gendarmerie after her surgery.

Gülmen was sentenced to 10 years in prison for being a "member of a (terrorist) organization" even though her lawyers demonstrated that the digital materials shown as evidence in her case were fake.

In the letter written before the hearing, Kılıç said that Gülmen was taken to a hospital after she had metrorrhagia caused by police intervention. “Nuriye Gülmen was taken to the hospital urgently and underwent surgery. She was handcuffed to the bed while she was having surgery. Doctors said that she should not stay in her prison ward. However, authorities said that "handcuffs are mandatory" for Gülmen, who was kept in the hospital. She was handcuffed to the bed by the gendarmerie while she was in a cloth and her torso was half-naked.”

MAGAZINES AND BOOKS ARE BANNED

Kılıç said that the arbitrary restriction of books in prison continues. “Hitler must have turned in his grave. Hostility towards books has risen from the grave again.” Kılıç added that magazines were also restricted. Letters sent to prison were also damaged by the prison administration. A letter from Grup Yorum member Sultan Gökçek was officially damaged and that coloured paper and pencils were not provided to the prisoners.

Kılıç stated that open visits were reduced to 30 minutes. When the prisoners go to open visits, they receive communication penalties for various excuses. Kılıç said that the prison administration demanded communication penalties for some prisoners for not complying with the seating regulations during the open visits in January-February. “We wore our masks and received 3 doses of vaccination yet sitting next to our families was considered a crime. We are in close contact with the guards who go to their homes every day. Some of them had even picked up COVID. We are faced with a practice contrary to the logic of the open visitings and contradictory practices.”

ARBITRARY DISCIPLINARY PUNISHMENTS

Kılıç pointed out that their visitors were not allowed to visit them because of security investigations. “However, a visitor, Gül Kaya Yıldırım, who is Deniz Özel's friend, was never detained even once. Although objections to executions are accepted, court decisions are not implemented. Seval Yaprak’s visitor Levent Navruz and visitors of Sultan Gökçek, Kamile Kayır and Selda Özçelik were not allowed to visit for security reasons.

Kılıç revealed that body searches were used as a method of pressure and intimidation against the prisoners, adding that that prisoners’ bodies are searched by hand and a detector, although there was no legal basis.

Kılıç explained that even the inside of their shoes was searched. The prisoners who did not accept this practice contrary to human dignity received disciplinary punishments and their release were cancelled. Kılıç said that they went on a one-month hunger strike in January to support Sibel Balaç and Gökhan Yıldırım who were on a hunger strike, and that investigations were launched against them. She pointed out that disciplinary investigations prevented their release. Lawyer Yaprak Türkmen's probation was cancelled on the grounds that "she was not conducting good in prison".

Kılıç wrote that they frequently held sit-ins to protest these rights violations. However, investigations were launched against them and they received disciplinary punishments. Kılıç pointed out that while their pleas should be taken by the second Director (investigator) according to the legal regulations regarding disciplinary investigations, they were asked to give their statements to a civilian officer.

Kılıç revealed that sick prisoners, Yasemin Karadağ and Aysu Baykal were malnourished because they were not given a suitable diet.  Kılıç added although the pandemic measures were lifted, the prisoners were still not allowed to socialize.