A total of 324 political prisoners in the Kurdish region have been transferred to other jails across the country, mainly in the western region, in the last three months. The number of political prisoners recently transferred from the province of Sêrt (Siirt) alone has reached 72.

Dispersion is new as a tool of repression both of prisoners and their families. Because clearly for a prisoner to be transferred thousands of Km from his/her home town means further burden and problems for his/her family. Long journeys are often not affordable for the families, both economically and in terms of transport.

Families are reacting over the transfers which they describe as “cruelty” that prevents them from seeing their relatives in jail.

Political prisoner Abdülmecit Arslan in Muş E Type Closed Prison was transferred to Tekirdağ F Type Closed Prison last week. Arslan's mother Maşallah Işık reacted to the transfer of his son who -she said- is trying hard to survive in jail for the last six years, suffering from the shrapnel pieces he is carrying in his body.

Also responding to the transfer and dispersion of political prisoners, Sêrt TUHAD-DER Branch Chair İrfan Baykara said the transfers were a kind of torture for inmates and their families most of whom -he said- were poor people with no financial means to pay visits to their relatives in jail. “The Turkish state and government is committing torture”, Baykara underlined and added that TUHAD-DER has launched works to enable the families in Siirt to visit their relatives, for free visitation once a month at least.