ANKARA - Sending a letter from Sincan Women's Closed Prison, female political prisoners said even their shoes are being searched and that they are subjected to arbitrary investigations.

 

Selver İspir, Dilek Hatipoğlu, Mukaddes Kubilay, Sariye Taşkesen, Rozerin Kurt and Alev Yarar, held in Sincan Women's Closed Prison, sent a letter to the Parliamentary Human Rights Investigation Committee and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Kocaeli Deputy Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu about the violations of their rights and the isolation imposed on them.

 

Stating that no social activities have been done in prison for more than two years, the imprisoned women stated that they can only do sports for one and a half hours a month with the people they stay in the same ward with. Expressing that they are facing aggravated isolation, the women drew attention to the deaths in prisons.

 

THE DAMAGE DONE BY ISOLATION

 

Reminding that the prisoner named Aysel Koç lost her life two years ago in the prison and they were told that she "committed suicide", the women said, "We are witnesses that this is not a suicide but the result of a systematic isolation. She applied to the prison administration time and time again for some simple requests. None of them were accepted. She was forced to stay with 4 people for years. Although Aysel's psychological problems were known, the isolation continued. As a result, the destruction caused by the isolation was recorded as 'suicide'. Due to this cruelty, 9 prisoners lost their lives in three months last year. Even though these were recorded as 'suicide' or 'death as a result of illness', no one can deny that these deaths as the result of the pressures and cruelty in prisons and that coffins will come out of prisons as long as these approaches continue.

 

The prisoners also told about the violation of their rights. Stating that even the inside of their shoes are being searched and they are subjected to arbitrary investigations, the prisoners said: "We are political prisoners. We are not ordinary prisoners. We are people imprisoned for our thoughts. Everyone knows that we are fighting for our identity and dignity, that's why we are being held here, and that's why we will not accept any form of persecution, degrading or cruel treatment."

 

The imprisoned women also asked the commission to meet with them by assigning a committee to do the necessary research.

 

 

 

MA / Zemo Ağgöz