HAKKARİ - Veli Cindan and Ümit Macit did not take a step back even though they were tortured in a very early age. Cindal was 15 and Macit was 17 when they were arrested. Both of them are on hunger strike demanding the termination of the isolation. 

 

Veli Cindal and Ümit Macit who were neighbors in Yüksekova, was tortured under custody and then got arrested. Veli Cindal was accused of 'managing an illegal organization' at the age of 15 and was sentenced to life while Macit was accused of 'being a member to an illegal organization' at the age of 17 and was sentenced to 15 years of jail time. Cindal who is in prison for 5 years now, is being kept at Patnos Type L Closed Prison and Ümit Macit who is in prison for 7 years is being kept at Oltu Type T Closed Prison. Their mothers spoke about their son's who are both in hunger strike.

 

 

THE TORTURE WENT ON FOR DAYS

 

Veli Cindal who is currently 20 years old was taken under custody during a police raid to his home. His home was raided by 25 armoured vehicles. He was subjected to torture for 5 days under custody until finally he was sentenced to life with the accusation of 'managing an illegal organization'.Cindal is on hunger strike for 117 days today. Mother Cindal who stated that his son have lost a great deal of weight, said: "He couldn't stand up on his own when I visited him on May 11. He lost 15 kilos.His friends were in bad condition as well. But their morale was high. They cheered us up. He said they were watching the Kurdish community outside. He said the only way the hunger strikes might end is the reaction of the people. He also said they will continue the hunger strike until their demand is met.  Mother Cindal said she is feeling proud with her son and his resistance and said she will do all that in her power to take their resistance outside.

 

 

THEY DIDN'T EVEN LET ME TO GIVE HIM WATER 

 

 

Ümit Macit, Cindal's childhood  friend and neighbor was taken under custody in Şemdinli when he was just 17. He was also subjected to torture for days and sent to prison without a medical report. He was sentenced to 15 years with the accusation of 'being a member to an illegal organization'. Naciye Macit, his mother, said: "The police called me so I went to Şemdinli. I waited in front of the police statiton for 8 days to see my son. 2 police officers took me to the basement on the 9th day. It was a dark place. He was unrecognizable because of the torture. His tortured body was laying in sewer water.He wanted water when I saw him. The police hit my arm with his gun when I tried to give him water. What ı saw there was an atrocity."

 

 

Macit whose son is in Oltu Type T Prison, stating that his son is resisting with the same demand with thousands of prisoners, said: "My son is in prison for 7 years. They are moving him from one prison to another constantly. I haven't seen my son for 4 years because of our financial status. He always says he is ok when we spoke on the phone. I know that he says that not to upset me."