SAMSUN - Prisoner Hüsnü Aşkan prevented from attending the condolence of his mother. "Such pain must be the 'reward' of our ethnic identity," he says.
A prisoner in Bafra Type T Closed Prison Hüsnü Aşkan was prevented from attending the condolence of his mother. Aşkan wrote a letter to lawyer Sidal Bayrak from Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD).
Aşkan stated that his mother Şehriban Aşkan was unable to attend his mother's condolence service due to her illness and that he had applied several times to be transferred to a prison in Colemêrg (Hakkari) and neighbouring cities, but his requests were not accepted. Aşkan stated that his mother, who had many diseases, died on 4 November and that he was informed about it 4 days later. Aşkan stated that he wanted to attend the condolence service organised for his mother and that he was asked for 60 thousand TL "travel expenses".
'IT MUST BE THE REWARD OF OUR IDENTITY...'
Aşkan stated that he agreed to pay the money in question, but his request was not accepted. Aşkan said: "The next day, the guard verbally informed me through the dooor grille with a document in his hand that my request to attend the condolence was rejected by the prosecutor's office and that I could appeal against this decision. I was not officially notified of the decision, only verbally. My mother's only wish was to see me one last time before she passed away. Unfortunately, this most conscientious, moral, humanitarian and innocent request was not fulfilled and she dies in the midst of severe illnesses, irreparable pain and anguish."
Describing what happened as "punishment in a different dimension", Aşkan stated the following: "On the one hand, there is talk of peace, brotherhood, peace and security of the region, and on the other hand, such victimisation, suffering, pain and punishment are inflicted. There is no suc a situation of punishment and suffering in any country in the world. Once we are Kurds, one we become political prisoners, none of the provisions of the laws are valid for us. What is valid is oppression, arrest, tears, dungeon, exile and such irreparable pain and punishment. Such suffering must be the 'reward' of our ethnic identity..."