Thirteen prisoners killed in prison fire
Thirteen prisoners killed in prison fire
Thirteen prisoners burnt to death and five others were wounded in Urfa Prison as political prisoners in C15 ward started a riot and set beds and blankets alight Saturday night.
According to reports by Turkish sources, the fire which was reportedly started by political prisoners wasnt intervened by guardians and soldiers for a long time, causing the death of 13 political prisoners and injury of five others, two of whom got serious burnt.
In a statement after the incident, the Governor of Urfa announced the names of casualties which are; Þükrü Uldes, Fuat Yýldýz, Sinan Özalp, Mehmet Satýþ, Süphi Köksal, Yunus Eskili, Mehmet Emin Gerçek, Hüseyin Kýskaç, Mehmet Kemal Kýlýç, Taner Þimþek, Bakýr Tek, Mehmet Aslantay, Ýbrahim Halil Kaya.
The bodies of victims which were burnt to a crisp in C15 ward will be delivered to families following a DNA test and blood samples to be taken from their families.
Urfa Governor Celalettin Güvenç reported after the event that the fire was started as the political prisoners set beds alight following a discussion among each other. Two slightly injured prisoners have received treatment in casualty ward, while the three with serious burnt were taken to hospital, stated Güvenç.
A contrary statement on the incident was made by Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Urfa deputy Ýbrahim Ayhan in Urfa Prison who told his lawyer Ýbrahim Benek that the political prisoners started a riot, setting the goods in ward on fire to protest against poor prison circumstances. Ayhan evaluated the event as a massacre and held the prisons administration and the Ministry of Justice responsible for the massacre.
Ayhan reminded of earlier complaints by prisoners against the over-capacity problem in the prison which hosts around a thousand prisoners despite having a capacity for 300 people.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan, speaking on the incident before his visit to Mexico, said he would order an investigation into the possibility of over-capacity problem in the prison.
On the other hand, police and soldiers used pepper gas and pressure water to disperse the families of victims who tried to reach the prison. Injuries and detentions were reported in the attack.
According to reports by Turkish sources, the fire which was reportedly started by political prisoners wasnt intervened by guardians and soldiers for a long time, causing the death of 13 political prisoners and injury of five others, two of whom got serious burnt.
In a statement after the incident, the Governor of Urfa announced the names of casualties which are; Þükrü Uldes, Fuat Yýldýz, Sinan Özalp, Mehmet Satýþ, Süphi Köksal, Yunus Eskili, Mehmet Emin Gerçek, Hüseyin Kýskaç, Mehmet Kemal Kýlýç, Taner Þimþek, Bakýr Tek, Mehmet Aslantay, Ýbrahim Halil Kaya.
The bodies of victims which were burnt to a crisp in C15 ward will be delivered to families following a DNA test and blood samples to be taken from their families.
Urfa Governor Celalettin Güvenç reported after the event that the fire was started as the political prisoners set beds alight following a discussion among each other. Two slightly injured prisoners have received treatment in casualty ward, while the three with serious burnt were taken to hospital, stated Güvenç.
A contrary statement on the incident was made by Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Urfa deputy Ýbrahim Ayhan in Urfa Prison who told his lawyer Ýbrahim Benek that the political prisoners started a riot, setting the goods in ward on fire to protest against poor prison circumstances. Ayhan evaluated the event as a massacre and held the prisons administration and the Ministry of Justice responsible for the massacre.
Ayhan reminded of earlier complaints by prisoners against the over-capacity problem in the prison which hosts around a thousand prisoners despite having a capacity for 300 people.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan, speaking on the incident before his visit to Mexico, said he would order an investigation into the possibility of over-capacity problem in the prison.
On the other hand, police and soldiers used pepper gas and pressure water to disperse the families of victims who tried to reach the prison. Injuries and detentions were reported in the attack.
